


Baby don't cry

by A_to_B_and_C



Series: EXOVERSE [8]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Artist Baekhyun, Baekhyun is a softie, College AU, M/M, Smut, cool rich guy Chanyeol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:48:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 31,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23775622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_to_B_and_C/pseuds/A_to_B_and_C
Summary: Baekhyun is studying art and he can't stand cool guys and Park Chanyeol and all the cool guys like him.However, surprisingly he could be the solution to Baekhyun's "art block".
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol
Series: EXOVERSE [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1658077
Comments: 5
Kudos: 53





	Baby don't cry

**Author's Note:**

> A softer verion for such an important song.  
> Slightly different from actual lyrics, but unfortunately I'm not able to write bad ending or angsty stuff.  
> Please enjoy! <3

“I don’t know what you’re doing in here but get out”.  
These were the first words that Baekhyun told to Chanyeol when he firstly found him in his art room.  
Well, it wasn’t his per definition, but it was already two years that it was unused and Baekhyun took property of it.  
“Crap, he’s here. Let’s go away” one of the other boys that were with him said, pulling away the others, including Chanyeol.  
Baekhyun sighed, letting them exit from the front door without any other fuss because it was raining outside and he felt particularly inspired.  
He didn’t need any distraction in that moment.  
His fingers slightly touched the brush that was left near the blank canvas he bought the day before.  
Baekhyun prepared the oil colors on the palette and closed his eyes.  
Whatever would come, would be fine.  
He didn’t draw something before.  
Didn’t come prepared or with a mental image or visual.  
Just colors on white.  
Just like any other day of his life.

  
Baekhyun was glad of his life.  
Even if his family wasn’t exactly rich, his parents always managed to make him go to school and give him shelter, food and all the commodities one could expect from twentieth century life.  
And when they didn’t manage to make him go to his preferred college, he won an art scholarship to attend, so he couldn’t complain at all.  
He recently also started working part-time as piano bar waiter and singer in a bar near the dorms.  
Baekhyun made some friends in the dorms, especially with his roommate, Do Kyungsoo and upper floor always together duo Kim Jondae and Kim Minseok.  
Kyungsoo, his roommate, was silent, damn good as actor and also good singer, they fit together quite fast.  
Sometimes Kyungsoo told Baekhyun that he was too loud in his complaining with the world when he didn’t have any inspiration, but for the other thing they went along well.  
With the Kims duo, Baekhyun made friends during a quarrel on the cafeteria of the dorms.  
Actually, he was just trying to defend his seat and his lunch but ended up protecting also theirs becoming so acquaintances.  
A lot of Mario Kart matches and a lot of Netflix series later, they decided to hang on more frequently since they were on the same pages in a whole set of things.  
So, which one was Baekhyun’s problem if his life was relatively good?  
His problem had a dumb face.  
Long limbs.  
Ash grey hair and very dark brown eyes.  
Was always with a gang, more than a clique of friends.  
Became used to annoy Baekhyun in the art room, probably because was one on the upper floor and more isolated classroom of all the building and they wanted it for other reasons.  
Oh, hey, it also had a name: Park Chanyeol.  
Chanyeol was one of those rich kids, raised in the wellness of his three-story house, with the garden and with parents whose works were related to public administration, police or architects.  
Chanyeol was one of those cool guys that went to every party and looked cool even in the same exact moment he woke up and rose from the bed.  
He was so unruly that Baekhyun could never ever in his life even dream about being such a burden for his family.  
Chanyeol came to classes when he was up to.  
He slept in the dorms when he was up to.  
Everything gravitated around him and him alone.  
He was showing off, forever and ever, cool stance always present on his face and mocking smirk on his lips.  
It was of the hundred reasons why Baekhyun couldn’t stand him at all.  
And he was more than decided to keep his art room as tight as he could, out of Chanyeol and his friends’ hands reach.

  
However, Baekhyun’s problem wasn’t only Chanyeol.  
He also had a lack of inspiration that made him easily irritated, permanently annoyed and sassy.  
The exact reason why he started painting whatever came to his mind the very same moment it came by without actually waiting for the right moment, the right tools and the right paper.  
He couldn’t let his inspiration go away because who knows when he would get another one?  
“Baek, you should find yourself a muse, a source of inspiration” Minseok suggested him while they were sitting in the common area, organizing a marathon of Supernatural reruns.  
Baekhyun sighed deeply, carding his fingers in his hair.  
He really, really, wanted too but nothing felt right in that moment.  
And no one or nothing felt like it could inspire Baekhyun in the mist of Baekhyun’s uninspired life.  
Or so he thought.  
Rain was pouring in buckets outside and he suddenly felt something slowly drifting on the back of his mind.  
“Guys, gotta go. See ya tonight?” he declared sitting up and already walking to the exit of the building.  
In those days, especially when school was already closed, Baekhyun liked to sit in the park, under one of the many gazebos, that there were along the paths and just drawing whatever came to his mind.  
He took an umbrella and checked inside the bag for pencils and notebook and he walked until his preferred spot.  
Baekhyun didn’t listen to any music while it was raining because rain calmed him down and got him in the right mood to draw or paint.  
He sat there drawing nature, trees and ponds under the downpour and hummed along an old song that he liked to sing with his grandmother.  
And then suddenly he saw them.  
Two figures, one after the other almost until where Baekhyun was sitting.  
There was a girl, slender, cute face, curly hair and with her there was a man that Baekhyun recognized immediately.  
“Park?” he asked himself but even before he could think that it wasn’t his affairs, the girl slapped Chanyeol soundly, walking away, crying and shouting something that seemed like I don’t want to see your pretty face anymore.  
Baekhyun wrinkled his nose.  
Who would still define someone a pretty face while breaking up?  
He shook his head, convinced to restart his activity, but Chanyeol, not seeing that he was sitting there, walked until the gazebo, to find some shelter from the rain.  
Only when he entered and noted the presence of another person, his eyes went wider in surprise.  
“Oh, it’s you” he whispered sitting on the bench on the other side of where Baekhyun was sitting.  
There was a small silence, surrounded by the downpour, and a tickling sound that was Chanyeol’s drenched hair that dripped on the wood of the bench.  
Baekhyun sighed, moving to rummage in his bag and throwing a scarf towel to Chanyeol, who flinched surprised.  
“What’s for?” he asked and Baekhyun shook his head.  
“You’re drenched and without umbrella. At least dry your hair a bit” he replied stiffly without looking at him.  
He didn’t know why he gave Chanyeol the towel, since they weren’t friends and neither he asked him to.  
But somehow he felt like he had to.  
Chanyeol thanked him softly and started drying his hair in silence.  
“You saw that scene, right?” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun nodded without raising his stare from his drawing, sketching the profiles of a pond.  
There was another silence and then Baekhyun sighed, closing his notebook with a low thud.  
“Do you want to speak about that?” he asked shortly and Chanyeol’s stare was immediately on his face, perplexity showing clearly in his eyes.  
“Why would I?” he asked stare immediately going to Baekhyun’s face, showing a mocking stance.  
Baekhyun simply shrugged his shoulders.  
He wouldn’t get any better nor worse from whatever story Chanyeol would tell him.  
He just felt like someone would like to talk about something important like a break up.  
And despite what Jondae or Minseok often told him, Baekhyun could be pretty understanding and feel empathy too.  
Sometimes.  
Chanyeol deeply sighed shaking his head and pulling back his hair.  
His face was pretty and Baekhyun didn’t actually expect it.  
Not that he spent so much time looking at his face, especially in the last weeks after he started finding him and his friends in his art room.  
“It was three weeks since we started dating” Chanyeol stated and Baekhyun nodded shortly, even if inside was already questioning his choice.  
Maybe he would end up more irritate and shouldn’t have asked nothing to start with?  
“She is cute and caring, but… there’s something missing” he commented way too honestly in Baekhyun’s opinion and Baekhyun raised an eyebrow.  
“Like?” he asked perplexed, curiosity slightly hitting at the back of his mind but expecting a stupid reason behind that affirmation.  
Chanyeol sighed again, shaking his head in frustration.  
He seemed troubled by something deeper than the break up itself.  
“I can’t feel anything” he replied newly honestly and Baekhyun’s stare was immediately on his face.  
The reason was more serious than he actually expected.  
He wanted to ask him more details, but Chanyeol messed his hair again making all spikey, sighing.  
“I can’t feel anything for anything anymore” he added and Baekhyun shook his head.  
“Neither while listening to music? Watching a movie?” Baekhyun asked perplexed and Chanyeol shook his head, almost desperate.  
“Nothing. It’s just like I’ve lost all my inspiration in this world” he replied again and Baekhyun hummed in thoughts.  
The reason seemed serious, but still didn’t explain at all Chanyeol’s behavior and why he continued trying pissing Baekhyun off.  
“That’s why you and your friends started coming to the art classroom? Are you looking for some different emotions? Some thrills?” he enquired but Chanyeol shook his head, pulling out his usual smirk.  
“No, that’s because Jongin likes to annoy you, or so it seems” he replied, making Baekhyun shaking his head too, immediately.  
This Jongin was being annoying, indeed.  
“And why you come along too? Just because of pack mentality?” he asked again and Chanyeol’s stare was newly on his face.  
Curious from some sides and annoyed for others.  
Maybe because Baekhyun got it right?  
He took a moment more to reply.  
It was like Chanyeol was deeply thinking if revealing his reasons or just cover up with some lies his real thoughts.  
But then he just sighed and decided to let out what he was really thinking, showing again that honesty from before that perplexed Baekhyun.  
It was like Chanyeol was opening some cracks in the wall of confidence he always showed to everyone and Baekhyun couldn’t find a reason why he was doing it with him and not with other people, maybe someone who Chanyeol considered more friend than Baekhyun himself.  
Or maybe it was exactly because they didn’t know at all.  
And sometimes it was easier to show one’s weakness to a stranger than a friend.  
“Because I saw you painting, once. And it kind of stirred something inside me?” he replied, but it felt more like a question than a real answer.  
Baekhyun was astonished by the reply for just an instant and then frowned shortly.  
“So, you saw me while I was painting and now you try to piss me off and lose all my inspiration?” Baekhyun continued, shaking his head and trying to find a silver lining behind all of these things.  
It didn’t make sense at all.  
Like it didn’t make sense that he was having that conversation with Chanyeol in that moment.  
“More like, I hope to see you paint again?” he asked tentatively making Baekhyun snort.  
With them messing around, he couldn’t concentrate at all, so that wouldn’t happen anytime soon.  
“Well, not in that way, Park. Keep your friends distant from the art room and come alone, next time if you want to be luckier” he added jokingly but, contrary to all his expectations, Chanyeol nodded firmly.  
Baekhyun said that just because he was a bit exasperated by those boys’ behavior in the recent weeks and he hoped that Chanyeol managed to keep them away.  
But he didn’t expect that Chanyeol nodded agreeing with his suggestion.  
“Seems fair enough. Will you be there tomorrow?” he asked sitting up and Baekhyun nodded, still startled by the turn of events.  
“Perfect. I’ll bring you back this” Chanyeol showing him the towel and walking away under the rain.  
Baekhyun stayed there for at least five minutes, before realizing that he just promised to one of his problem, namely Park Chanyeol, to show him around the art classroom and his own paintings.  
He face-palmed, shaking his head.  
He shouldn’t have exited at all that day.  
Baekhyun put his notebook in the bag, opened the umbrella and walked back to the dorm, still perplexed from the conversation of that afternoon.

  
The next day, punctual as a swiss clock, Chanyeol presented himself in the art room, after lessons ended.  
Himself and himself alone.  
No traces of other people with him, nor of his boss Jongin.  
Baekhyun was already there, fixing mistakes on his painting from the previous day.  
The borders were failings and the details still lacking and Baekhyun wasn’t happy at all with whatever was coming out, but Chanyeol whistled in appreciation.   
“Byun, it’s… woah” he let out without any warnings, making Baekhyun flinch in surprise since he didn’t realize that Chanyeol was there.  
“Nah. Still so far from what I have in mind” he sighed, putting down the palette and turning to Chanyeol, who shook his head.  
“Maybe not now. But later?” he asked shortly and Baekhyun sighed again shortly.  
“You know, I don’t know what you hope to find here but it’s not a dreamland. And I have a lot of difficulties right now finding my inspiration, so…” he started saying but Chanyeol shook his head again.  
“No, sure okay. I’ll sit here and don’t speak anymore” he interrupted him, sitting on the floor near the entrance door and Baekhyun inhaled sharply, trying to contain his irritation and not be too icy in his reply.  
“You can speak, Park. Just… don’t comment uselessly” he murmured in the end getting a small smirk from Chanyeol who still sat there, not adding a single word.  
There was a silence and, in the start Baekhyun felt a bit embarrassed of having an audience to his painting, but then he almost forgot about Chanyeol being there in the first place and started singing along with his brushes on the canvas.  
He felt strangely relaxed and even what it seemed awful few moments ago in his painting, started to make a sense or at least Baekhyun saw how to correct what he didn’t like, transforming it in something better.  
Before he could realize it, minutes became hours, and when he turned to Chanyeol to tell him that it was getting late, he found him asleep.  
But what got him more than finding him asleep, was how beautiful he was.  
The usual fierce stance left place to features more relaxed, locks of hair gently slipping on his face, lips slightly open, breath even.  
Without waking him up, he took his notebook and started drawing Chanyeol’s sleeping profile on it, observing him and finding him extremely pleasant to draw.  
He was… perfect.  
Not that Baekhyun would ever admit it out loud when the other was up.  
He drew him in least half an hour, feeling some satisfaction at the end of it, for the result.  
“Park” he called him shortly, softly touching his shoulder and the boy woke up almost immediately.  
“Did I fall asleep?” he whispered pulling his fingers through his hair, disoriented, and Baekhyun shook his head shortly.  
“No worries. It’s just closing time” he replied briefly, instinctively offering him his hand for sitting up from the floor.  
Chanyeol looked at him perplexed.  
“I can stand also alone” he murmured and Baekhyun nodded, retreating the hand and turning to pick up his own things.  
“How much…” Chanyeol started again but Baekhyun shook his head.  
“Almost four hours? You slept a lot” he replied immediately, searching his bag for the keys of the art room and getting a soft hum in reply.  
They exited the room in silence and after Baekhyun locked the door, Chanyeol spoke again.  
“You are here all the days?” he asked briefly, stretching his arms above his head and seemingly even taller than usual, shirt lifting up and revealing a glimpse of his abs and the band of this boxer above his belt.  
Baekhyun tried not to stare too much.  
“Not if school is closed. It’s not like they open especially for me” he commented shortly, trying not to give too much relevance to Chanyeol being this carefree around a stranger like him, and Chanyeol hummed in thought.  
“Then, what do you do on your days out?” he asked again, making Baekhyun flinch shortly.  
Why Chanyeol was so interested in what he would do?  
He shrugged his shoulders, trying to minimize the reply.  
“Sleep. And in the afternoon go a bit in the park, if it’s not too windy. And then work” he replied, started to walk toward the exit of the building.  
“The same park where we met? And work?” he asked again casually, like he was talking about the weather, and Baekhyun sighed shaking his head.  
“Why are you so interested in me, Park? It’s not like we are friends or…” he started saying fixing the bag on his shoulder and Chanyeol huffed, shrugging his shoulders.  
“Because it was ages since I slept this soundly and calmly. And you humming voice was so cute” Chanyeol whispered, watching outside of the windows and Baekhyun stopped walking suddenly.  
He felt the blush creeping up to his cheeks.  
“My voice is not cute” he retorted immediately making Chanyeol’s eyes getting wider before letting out a laugh brief and brilliant.  
Baekhyun was almost shocked by the vision.  
Chanyeol’s laugh was something that Baekhyun wasn’t ready for.  
He was so perfect and cute and he had dimples on his cheeks!  
Baekhyun shifted his stare away immediately, walking off, followed immediately by Chanyeol.  
“Come on, Byun, I was joking” he added, easily matching his pace with Baekhyun’s.  
Baekhyun sighed again, shaking his head.  
How could Chanyeol be so smooth in saying certain things?  
And why Baekhyun himself almost fell for his sweet words?  
“Yes, same park. And I’m a waiter at a piano bar two blocks from here” he finally replied making Chanyeol opening in another smirk.  
“So, it’s fine if I come along?” he asked and Baekhyun sighed again for the hundredth time that time.  
Being with Chanyeol hardly proved Baekhyun’s patience.  
“Whatever you want, Park. I’ll be there” he concluded, exiting from the building and stopping at the end of the stairs.  
Chanyeol stopped near him, smirk still present on his face and eyes shimmering.  
“Then, see ya tomorrow” he concluded and Baekhyun stared at him, still perplexed.  
“Yeah” he whispered and Chanyeol wanted to add something but from the gates a tall man in suits walked toward Chanyeol.  
“Mr. Park, your father wants you to come home tonight” he said toward and Chanyeol sighed, smile completely disappearing from his face, and features hardening again.  
“You can tell pops to fuck off” he spat out without even double thinking about it.  
He stared at Baekhyun shortly, before sighing.  
“See ya” he concluded, walking away in a completely different direction from the man in suits.  
The man bowed shortly before returning toward the gates.  
Baekhyun didn’t know how to process what happened in that moment.  
In just a second, Chanyeol changed completely his mood from joyful to tired.  
There clearly were problems in him going back home.  
Baekhyun shook his head, walking toward the dorms.  
He wasn’t the best psychological detective, but it was clear that there was something wrong with it.  
He sighed thinking again at that afternoon.  
What in the world he was thinking about?  
And why he wasn’t able to refuse Chanyeol and his invite for the day after?  
For how much he thought about it, he couldn’t find any reply.

  
It easily started like that a sort of routine of them.  
Baekhyun was in the art room or at the park and Chanyeol would join him, mainly to sleep or to make small talk.  
Baekhyun didn’t dislike Chanyeol’s company since, when the boy was around, he felt like he could paint or draw freely, thoughts relaxed and ease mind.  
He didn’t feel pressured by the idea of achieving something or realizing perfection.  
He just felt at ease drawing and painting while listening to Chanyeol’s telltales or to his soft snoring during the afternoon naps.  
It was an untold rule to always meet in the same places at the same hours and they kept doing it for weeks.

That afternoon, Baekhyun was sitting on the same place that every afternoon before, when Chanyeol arrived.  
“You’re not wearing school uniform, today” he noted toward Baekhyun that opted for jeans and a blue sweater, seeing the warm day outside.  
It was their day out, so there wasn’t nothing wrong in not wearing the uniform.  
“You never wear it, neither at school” Baekhyun replied back, eyes fixed on his notebook sketching away some details of a city profile.  
Chanyeol hummed in thought, sitting in front of Baekhyun and only in that moment Baekhyun noticed that he had with him a guitar that he was pulling out of its cover.  
There was a silence while Chanyeol tuned his guitar and then he started slowly to play something light.  
Some pop music and, from the start Baekhyun did his best not to sing along, but when he started playing some old hits of Shinee, Baekhyun couldn’t resist anymore.  
He started humming along and his mood got lighter too, making him draw more freely what he was thinking about.  
And even without realizing it, he started drawing Chanyeol too.  
His relaxed face while he played.  
His fingers moving on the guitar’s neck and on the frets.  
His lips moving around words without actually singing them, smirking softly when Baekhyun’s voice reached a particularly high note.  
Baekhyun couldn’t do anything else if not keep on drawing him.  
Baekhyun was completely enthralled by the way he was playing.  
And then Chanyeol started singing too and Baekhyun was sold.  
He almost dropped his charcoal pencil from his hands, eyes fixed on Chanyeol’s face.  
Chanyeol showed him a cool smirk, words smooth on his lips, voice tone so deep and sweet that Baekhyun had to force his stare away.  
Here there was the reason why Chanyeol was so popular around college, also in different classrooms.  
Baekhyun didn’t have time to properly check Chanyeol out those times when he came in the art room, neither when they were alone or he was sleeping while Baekhyun was painting.  
And Baekhyun wasn’t either one of those person that gave attention to people around him too much, especially when he’s focused on achieving his own aims.  
But now that he could see him playing the guitar, Chanyeol’s voice echoing deeply inside him, he realized how cool he looked, totally getting why both girls and boys their age were running after him.  
He started again drawing, humming along Chanyeol’s singing voice through at least four or five songs more before Chanyeol stopped.  
Baekhyun felt the other’s stare on him, but kept drawing, waiting for him to say something.  
“Do you plan to major in art?” he asked him and Baekhyun simply nodded shortly, fingers moving around the sheet, trying to find out what he was missing in the drawing.  
“Why not on sing?” he asked again and Baekhyun shrugged his shoulder.  
“Because I do it only for hobby? My main interest is still art. I’m here with a scholarship for my drawings, not because my singing voice is cute” he replied, quoting Chanyeol’s previous days words, also with air commas.  
Chanyeol snorted, making Baekhyun smiling softly too.  
“You still at it? I said I was joking” Chanyeol complained but Baekhyun shook his head.  
“So, you want to say that it’s ugly?” Baekhyun asked back, smile still present on his lips and shifting his stare on Chanyeol’s face who was perplexed before exploding in another soundly laugh.  
“Maybe cute is not the right adjective, but I like it” he replied showing again that cool smile that made Baekhyun’s cheeks reddened first times too.  
But after the first few times, though, he was prepared and just shake his head, smiling back softly.  
“Your cool attitude won’t work with me, Park. I’m not interested in teenager dreams and living the love of my life” he let out huffing, but he wasn’t exactly annoyed by it.  
He was just stating out the truth.  
Chanyeol smiled again, shaking his head too.  
“Oh, so artist Byun is not interested in love?” he asked, smirk still present on his face, moving his fingers on the guitar’s strings but stare fixed on Baekhyun’s.  
Baekhyun raised his eyebrow trying to understand the reason behind that question and then simply shrugged his shoulders.  
“Not everyone has the luxury to think about these things and act freely as you do” he commented in the end and for a moment he was sure that something passed on Chanyeol’s stare, making him flinch.  
However, he covered it perfectly with another grin.  
“It’s not a luxury, Byun. It’s just taking whatever it comes from my life. If life gives me these kind of things, I’ll take them and enjoy them wholly. Because who knows what I will be doing in ten years?” he remarked, shrugging his shoulders too and Baekhyun hummed in thought.  
“Still, one has to be interested to enjoy them, no?” he observed and Chanyeol tilted his head slightly on the side, thinking.  
Baekhyun thought that he was strangely cute like that, more than his usual cool self.  
“Yeah, that’s true. But I’m sure you’re not interested because you never tried” he finally said making Baekhyun huff a laugh.  
“You won’t convince me of the good nature of college parties with words, Park” he commented, fingers returning to work on his notebook, declaring the conversation closed but Chanyeol shook his head.  
“Then come at one?” he suggested making Baekhyun’s perplexed stare land once again on Chanyeol’s face.  
When he realized he wasn’t joking, he shook his head, smiling softly.  
“No, thank you” he rejected him politely but Chanyeol shook his head too.  
“Maybe not now. But later?” he asked him and Baekhyun had a flashback of few days before.  
“What I told you the other day about this kind of comments?” he asked him, closing his notebook with a short thud.  
But Chanyeol’s stare was still on him, smiling convinced that one day he would convince Baekhyun to go with him.  
And somehow Baekhyun feared it too.  
Because Chanyeol was so refreshing and being with him put Baekhyun at ease, making him able to draw freely, without feeling pressured or gloomy.  
And maybe it wasn’t such a great idea to be with him so much?  
And always maybe he had to put some distance between them?  
He wanted to say something, whatever could pull him out of that situation, but his phone rang in his pocket.  
He pulled it out checking the caller ID.  
It was from his boss at work.  
“Hello?” he replied neutrally.  
It was strange that his boss called him during daylight hours.  
“Hyunnie! I need you to come few hours before tonight, it’s that fine for you?” he asked him and Baekhyun checked at his wristwatch if he would manage it with the time.  
“Sure, no prob. Six is okay?” he asked back and his boss squealed in joy.  
“Perfect, dear! See you later” he concluded hanging up almost immediately and leaving Baekhyun staring at the device perplexed.  
His boss was a particular person.  
Biologically was indeed a man, but he liked to dress up and behave like a woman.  
It was just an hobby more than a sexual orientation, and Baekhyun accepted and welcomed it from the first day of work.  
“I gotta go, Park. It seems that my boss at work needs me few hours later” he said sitting up and putting his notebooks and pencil case in the bag.  
Chanyeol sat up too, placing his guitar in his case and closing it, nodding shortly.  
“You are going to the dorms?” he asked him and Baekhyun nodded.  
They walked in silence toward the dorms, Baekhyun’s stare anywhere but on Chanyeol’s face.  
He felt somehow threatened by Chanyeol’s presence there.  
And not because he feared the man himself, but because he came to note that he was somehow indulgent with Chanyeol, letting himself go too much for being in front of a complete stranger.  
When they got there, Baekhyun was ready to greet him and go away but Chanyeol surprised him again.  
“Byun, give me your contacts” he said, voice more a command that an actual request.  
But what surprised Baekhyun even more, was that he simply nodded, pulling out his phone and exchanging his contacts with Chanyeol’s.  
He didn’t neither think or made the gesture of refusing Chanyeol’s words.  
Baekhyun realized it only after that they were already done and Chanyeol greeted him, walking toward his own room.  
Baekhyun sighed softly, starting to walk toward his room too, shaking his head.  
How could he be distant from Chanyeol now that they even exchanged their contacts?  
He entered his room without finding anyone and started to dress for work when his phone pinged.  
On the screen there was the notification of new chat and the ID of the sender was Park.

[5:20PM] From Park:  
You will be there also tomorrow, right?

Followed by a smiley emoji and Baekhyun sighed, shaking his head, small smile appearing on his face.  
He took his phone and type a short reply.

[5:23PM] To Park:  
Still stalking me around? I’ll be there. Same hour.

The reply was immediate.

[5:24PM] From Park:  
You are still letting me around, tho.

Followed by another winky emoji.  
He sighed again.  
Chanyeol read through him in an instant.  
Was he so easily readable?  
And why it happened only with Chanyeol?  
Baekhyun threw the phone on the bed, going to the bathroom and styling up his hair, putting on a bit of eyeliner.  
If boss asked him to go a bit early, it could be that he needed to sing that evening.  
And he preferred not going as his usual sloppy self.  
He picked up phone, keys and wallet and he was almost on the door, when the door opened and Kyungsoo entered.  
“Hey there” Baekhyun greeted him and the other waved at him shortly.  
“Going to work?” he asked back and Baekhyun nodded.  
“Be quiet tonight when you can back because I have to get up really early tomorrow” he added and Baekhyun thumbed up.  
“No worries. You won’t even realize I’m back” he concluded, exiting the room and walking to his work.  
He finally typed an answer to Chanyeol.

[05:50PM] To Park:  
If you don’t insist on inviting me to a party, I can stand your presence quite fine.

He typed briefly and he was already putting the phone away when it pinged back.

[05:50PM] From Park  
Nice to know, even though I don’t plan on give up easily, Byun.

Baekhyun almost snorted, shaking his head.  
Chanyeol was impossible to tame and difficult to understand and kept messing up Baekhyun’s life.  
And unpredictable.  
Baekhyun wasn’t sure if he liked it or not, being around Chanyeol.  
However, he couldn’t quite quit it.  
It was strangely… addicting.  
Baekhyun was already typing a message, almost at his workplace when raising up his head to check the entry door, he met Chanyeol’s stare.  
His hair was messier than before, smirk always in place.  
He changed into tight black jeans, slightly ripped on the knees areas, a white supreme t-shirt and a leather jacket.  
Baekhyun couldn’t find another definition if not: cool.  
“You stalked me also here?” he asked erasing the message he was sending and putting his phone in his back pocket.  
“My friends invited me over, actually. I didn’t realize it was here where you are working” he replied shrugging his shoulders and Baekhyun sighed.  
“Sure, sure. Like there’s only this piano bar in the whole area” he commented and Chanyeol laughed shortly, showing him again that beautiful smile.  
“Okay, you got me. And it was worth coming only for seeing you wearing eyeliner, Byun. I didn’t picture you like this type of guy” he observed and Baekhyun’s stare was immediately on Chanyeol’s face.  
“Park, seriously, if you’re kidding me…” he started but Chanyeol shook his head.  
“It suits you, relax” he interrupted him promptly and Baekhyun sighed again.  
“I have to go, now. Are you planning to enter, or you sit outside here all the night?” he asked him, head gesturing toward the door and Chanyeol laughed again.  
“I’ll wait for Jongin first. See ya inside” he concluded waiving his hand shortly and Baekhyun smiled, shaking his head and entering the bar.  
His boss was super happy to see him and confirmed Baekhyun’s suspects on having to sing that evening.  
He put on his tag with the name and the small garnet apron, symbol of the bar.  
Baekhyun wasn’t particularly keen of doing that work, but he couldn’t complain either.  
The mood was good, the boss was a great person and he got also to sing sometimes.  
He was working for almost half an hour, when Chanyeol entered with Jongin and another of his crew boys.  
They sat on an empty table and waited for him to approach them.  
“Byun, fancy meeting you here” Jongin said and Baekhyun smiled politely even though he wanted to slap the boy.  
Kim Jongin was somehow “the boss” of Chanyeol’s clique of friends.  
Tall, handsome but on a totally different way than Chanyeol, blonde and chestnut eyes.  
“Sure, especially since I work here” he replied, smile soft and present on his lips, pen tapping on his palmtop.  
Chanyeol smiled toward him too.  
“Here, here no need to be so icy. Can we have a little more time to decide what to take?” he asked and Baekhyun nodded, walking away.  
When he almost reached the counter, he was stopped by two other clients that were frequent.  
“Baekhyun, how is tonight? Will you sing?” one of them asked him and he smiled softly.  
“Sure, any preferences? Want me to sing something for your beautiful wife?” he asked, hand gesturing toward the woman who was sitting with him.  
The woman almost squealed.  
“Baekhyun! Seriously? That would be so great!” she asked him and Baekhyun simply nodded, smiling again toward them.  
The evening got crowded and a lot of work came in.  
Only at almost eight and half, the boss gave Baekhyun the okay for sitting at the piano and sing.  
He pulled out his apron and his necktie, opening up the first few buttons of his shirt.  
“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for being here tonight” he started sitting in front of the piano and fixing the microphone in front of him.  
“The first song it’s for our couple over at table fifteen” he concluded, smirking toward the woman who cheered up.  
Singing and playing piano for Baekhyun was something natural, something that he learnt from his grandmother and he enjoyed doing.  
He sang different songs, some also on request like the first one, and then suddenly boss came with another request, stare perplexed, making Baekhyun worry.  
“The boys over there asked for a song” he said head gesturing toward Chanyeol’s table and giving him a small piece of paper, clearly taken from their napkins.  
What about “All of me”?  
There was shortly written and Baekhyun sighed.  
He never saw Chanyeol’s handwriting but he knew that it was his.  
Chanyeol was teasing him also in that moment.  
“Sure. No problem” he concluded nodding and his boss smiled shortly before walking away.  
He started to play it, focusing more on the melodies than on the words, realizing that it was like a love confession and not wanting to think too much into it.  
Even though, he was perplexed.  
Why Chanyeol asked that song and not any other?  
And there was a further reason, or it was just to make fun of Baekhyun?  
He just decided to play it until the end and getting it a round of applause at the end of it.  
“Thank you” he whispered in the microphone and noticing his boss calling him.  
He walked away from the piano, reaching behind the counter.  
“You were marvelous tonight, dear!” he exclaimed and Baekhyun smiled softly.  
“Thanks, boss. Do you need a hand with the bills here?” he asked him seeing that a lot of guests were getting ready to go away.  
“Please, Hyunnie, that’s so kind of you!” he commented and Baekhyun nodded.  
Every bill he made, it was a congratulation and a tip, until he got to Chanyeol’s table.  
Jongin and the other boys weren’t there, probably they were waiting outside.  
“Nice voice, Byun” he started giving him his credit card and Baekhyun snorted.  
“Still at it? Weren’t you joking?” he asked him preparing the bill and Chanyeol smirked shortly.  
“Nah, I said that I liked your voice. And didn’t know you played piano too” he commented smiling to him softly.  
Baekhyun smiled shortly too, giving him back the credit card.  
“All of me was beautiful. My preferred version from now on” he concluded before going away and leaving Baekhyun perplexed.  
Was it a teasing or there was an actual meaning behind it?  
Baekhyun shook his head and focused on his other tasks.  
Only after a while that the clients went away, the boss came back from outside telling that there was the boy from before waiting him outside and shooing him away when Baekhyun noted that the he was on cleaning duty that night.  
“Go, go, Hyunnie, that boy is waiting for you” he added and Baekhyun sighed, almost forced to exit the door.  
He sighed seeing Chanyeol.  
“Still here?” he asked, shaking his head, but Chanyeol smirked, passing his hand in his hair, messing it up.  
“Yeah, I couldn’t sleep. I sent you a message but I figured you were still at work” he replied, shrugging his shoulders.  
Baekhyun sighed again, fishing his phone from his jeans.  
There was a message, indeed.

[10:45PM] From Park:  
Are you still up?

And nothing more.  
Baekhyun smiled tiredly toward Chanyeol.  
“You know, with all of this I could starting to think that you want something more from me than my art room or your lost inspiration” he commented and Chanyeol stared at him perplexed.  
“It hurts me that you still think I’m here for your room” he replied but Baekhyun shook his head.  
“And for whatever else? Surely not for my drawing skills” he commented immediately and Chanyeol sighed shortly.  
“I’ve already told you. It’s because…” he started but Baekhyun shook his head.  
He was tired and he couldn’t stand Chanyeol’s complex thoughts and sentences.  
He just wanted to go to his room and sleep until the day after.  
“Let’s drop it” he concluded, started to walk toward the dorms, followed by Chanyeol.  
There was a small silence.  
“Byun, are you angry?” he asked him but Baekhyun didn’t reply.  
He didn’t understand which game Chanyeol was playing but he didn’t like at all.  
It was starting to get too personal and he and Chanyeol didn’t have anything in common.  
They lived on two different worlds and different existences.  
It wouldn’t bring anything good to Baekhyun.  
“Can you please at least listen to me?” Chanyeol asked, taking his hand and forcing him to turn around and face him.  
Baekhyun sighed, jerking his hand away.  
“What do you want, Park?” he asked quickly, eyes enquiring his face and Chanyeol shook his head.  
“I want you to go out with me” he replied immediately and Baekhyun’s eyes grew larger.  
“No” he retorted even without thinking it twice, not even questioning if he heard correctly or no.  
Chanyeol was clearly up to something and he didn’t like it at all.  
Chanyeol didn’t even flinch.  
“Usually people ask me why, they don’t refuse me without even thinking about it or hearing my reasons” he explained but Baekhyun shook his head, clearly pissed off.  
“Whatever reason you may have, I’m not interested” he said, starting to walk away again, but Chanyeol followed him.  
“Can’t you even give me a chance?” he asked Baekhyun, easily walking along with him.  
Baekhyun stopped again, sighing, and staring Chanyeol in the eyes.  
“Why should I? We aren’t even friends…” he started and Chanyeol smirked.  
“We can easily solve this whenever you want, Baekhyun” he interrupted him but Baekhyun snorted, shaking his head, fingers carding through his hair in exasperation.  
“Don’t even try it, Park. We are not friends and just because we spend some time together, it doesn’t mean we can go out” he said and when Chanyeol tried to interject something, Baekhyun shook again his head.  
“I’m not like you other interests” he added quoting with his hands the word, “and I won’t fall for your every word or gesture. Sorry for spoiling your enjoyment” he concluded and for an instant he clearly saw something passing in Chanyeol’s stare, but then he smiled softly.  
“Sure, Byun. I’m just asking you a chance to try and be friends? Nothing fancy nor difficult. Aren’t you interested in me even slightly a bit? Not a chance you give me a possibility?” he asked smoothly and Baekhyun sighed.  
He couldn’t understand Chanyeol’s reasoning at all.  
What was even the point in insisting?  
What could he want from Baekhyun?  
Seeing that Baekhyun didn’t consider himself interesting at all.  
He was always so dedicated and focused on his drawings and paintings that it was difficult to even speak rationally with him.  
What could want a cool guy like Chanyeol from someone like him?  
Baekhyun wasn’t into fashion, parties, let alone dating and girls.  
He didn’t even like them.  
He pushed a hand in his hair, messing it up definitely.  
“Park, listen, I don’t know why you are so interested and…” he started and when Chanyeol tried to speak, he shook his head.  
“No, please, let me finish” he interrupted him, raising his hand and watching Chanyeol’s stare darkening.  
“I don’t know why you are interested and why you insist so much on this, but if you want to stick around, it’s fine. You will realize soon enough that I’m not interesting at all” he concluded and Chanyeol almost beamed at him.  
“Perfect!” he exclaimed and Baekhyun almost wanted to face-palm.  
He should keep Chanyeol distant from him because he knew he was no good.  
He knew that whatever Chanyeol would do with this friendship of theirs, it wouldn’t be any good to Baekhyun.  
Baekhyun knew all these things, but still let Chanyeol near him.  
He opened doors that he should have kept closed.

  
And so they started this friendship.  
That wasn’t an actual friendship.  
They just met as before in Baekhyun’s art room or at the park, but differently from the start Chanyeol wouldn’t stop asking him something about Baekhyun’s preferences, hobbies, musical or artistical tastes and so on.  
Baekhyun didn’t exactly mind it, since Chanyeol’s presence was still good for his inspiration and made him calmer and less stressed about everything.  
Also Kim Duos realized it.  
One evening they were sitting on the couch of Jondae and Minseok’s shared room, deciding what to see on Netflix and when Baekhyun accepted Captain America as suggestion, without even complaining about it, Jondae raised his eyebrow in perplexity.  
“Has something happened to you, Baek? Because it’s not like you to accept it without a single word” he asked shortly but Minseok already had a reply.  
“Come on, he found his own muse! Didn’t you see it that he’s also more relaxed about his paintings?” he asked and Baekhyun shook his head, sighing.  
“How could he be my muse? He’s so…” he started saying but Jondae whistled in appreciation.  
“Oh, so there’s someone! Who is he?” he interrupted but Baekhyun huffed a laugh.  
“You’re totally mistaking, Dae. Park is just…” he tried again but Minseok stopped him immediately.  
“Park you mean Park Chanyeol?” he asked, making Baekhyun slightly nod.  
Minseok sighed shortly.  
He seemed somehow worried about that situation.  
“He’s like the most appreciated and wanted boy in whole college, you know that?” he asked Baekhyun who just sighed again.  
“I don’t care about it. He just sticks around while I’m painting. Nothing more” he explained, shrugging his shoulders but Jondae shook his head.  
“I didn’t think Park was interested in art” he commented, staring straight at Baekhyun who sighed again.  
“Dae, he’s absolutely not. And I don’t even know why he continuously comes to the art room. However, I don’t have any reason to shoo him away either” he replied and wanted to add something, but his phone pinged, requiring his attention.  
It was a message from Chanyeol.

[08:50PM] From Park:  
Will you work tonight or are you up to ice cream?

Baekhyun smiled softly, catching immediately Jondae and Minseok’s attention.  
“Is it Park?” Jondae asked immediately and Baekhyun raised his stare to meet his friend’s.  
“Yeah” he just replied, typing a short message.

[08:52PM] To Park:  
Tonight Netflix with friends. Isn’t it still cold for ice cream?

“And what does he want from you?” Minseok asked him, making Baekhyun’s stare shifting between Jondae and Minseok.  
“Just asking what I’m up to tonight” he replied shrugging his shoulders.  
However, he didn’t miss the glance that Minseok threw at Jondae.  
He observed both before shaking his head.  
“I know what you’re thinking, but it’s not like that” he said immediately and Jondae smirked.  
“Sure, Baek, he’s not interested at all and you’re not interested at all” he commented and Baekhyun sighed in exasperation.  
“Dae, really… no” he just said but Minseok smiled softly toward him.  
“Baekhyun, I think that maybe Dae is right? I mean, why would he follow you around if he wasn’t interested?” he asked him and Baekhyun shook his head.  
“I don’t know, and I don’t even want to know it. He’s just fooling around until he won’t find something more interesting to do” he concluded and when Minseok tried to interject, he shook his head once again.  
“He’s not my type and I’m not his” he added but it was Jondae’s turn to shake his head.  
“Baek, actually I would say that he’s exactly your type? I mean, he’s gorgeous and he makes you smile? And haven’t you always said that you would like someone that makes you smile and laugh?” he asked smiling softly and patting on his shoulder, making Baekhyun sigh again.  
“I know. And you are partially right, but it’s not Park case. He’s not…” he started again but Jondae sighed.  
“He’s not what? Prince charming? Because he definitely is” he interrupted him making Baekhyun inhale deeply, frowning.  
“He’s not, Dae. He’s just looking for some adventures or something along the lines. He’s flirty and charming with everyone, not only with me. It’s his nature to behave like that, not because he’s really interested in me” he commented and Jondae hummed in thought.  
“Are you sure about that? Maybe he’s really…” he started again but Baekhyun’s phone pinged, attracting their attention.  
Baekhyun shifted his attention on the message.

[09:00PM] From Park:  
Netflix with friends? And you didn’t invite me? And it’s always ice cream season, Byun. It doesn’t have to be Summer to eat ice cream.

Baekhyun shook his head, smile forming softly on his lips.  
It was neither March.  
Definitely too early for ice cream.

[09:02PM] To Park:  
Who knew you were a Marvel fan? And ice cream in this season will freeze your brain, Park.

He typed quickly before shifting again his stare on Jondae who was already staring at him perplexed.  
“He clearly makes you smile, Baek. And he seems to be pretty interested in you since he continues to stick around?” he observed smiling softly but Baekhyun shook his head.  
“He’s just around until he will get enough of this situation. Of me” he concluded making both Jondae and Minseok sigh in unison.  
“Baek, how could you underestimate yourself so much? For heavens’ sake, you are more than your art alone. Otherwise we wouldn’t be friends, no?” Minseok commented, voice almost a whisper and Baekhyun forced a smile.  
“Being friend with you guys is easy. Because I can simply be myself, even when I’m my annoying self and I can’t get the right inspiration. But with him is different. I can’t just let him in, because there’s nothing good to see and nothing worth to stay for someone like him” he explained sighing again and carding his hand in his hair, pulling it back.  
Minseok and Jondae exchanged a stare, perplexed.  
“You know, from what you are saying, it seems that you are already interested in him, though” Minseok made him notice and Baekhyun’s eyes grew larger, before he could shift his stare away again.  
“I’m… not” he whispered softly, gripping on his phone and shortly shaking his head.  
“You are in denial, Baek” Jondae noted too but Baekhyun shook his head again.  
“Why would I?” he asked staring at Jondae and his phone pinged again.  
He didn’t check the message, keeping his eyes in Jondae’s.  
“Because you are already interested in him, Baek. Even the fact that you didn’t completely refuse him. It’s not the first time someone tries to get your attention and usually you refuse or directly ignore everyone who tries to enter your world made of colors and paint. However, with Park you don’t only accept his presence but also welcome him in your life. You gave him your phone number! It took months to me to get it! And after two weeks Park already had it? How is it?” Jondae explained putting all the facts in front of Baekhyun who gaped shortly, trying to find the right words to tell, without actually find them.  
“Don’t find excuses, Baek. Because you need to face the truth too. I don’t want to criticize you or anything similar, just please accept that you’re interested in him and act upon it” he concluded sighing shortly and Baekhyun pressed his lips together in a thin line.  
There was a small silence before someone could speak.  
Jondae was right.  
Chanyeol was somehow special to him.  
And it was clear from his own behavior toward the boy.  
But now that he knew it, what was he supposed to do?  
“What do I do? He’s clearly just using me as a distraction for a while, until he will get bored” he whispered, getting a gently pat on the shoulder from Minseok.  
“Obviously for the meantime it’s better if you keep this interest for you and you only. Even though, I’m not so sure that he’s just fooling around with you” Minseok replied shortly and Baekhyun sighed.  
“I’m so screwed. Of all the boys that there are in this damn college, why in the world Park?” he asked himself, groaning and laying down on the floor from where he was sitting.  
Jondae laughed bubbly.  
“You’re being over dramatic, Baek” he commented but Baekhyun shook his head.  
“He will be the dead of me. It’s because you didn’t see him when he’s around me” he replied, groaning deeper and Minseok sighed.  
“Well, invite him along. Didn’t he write you a message before?” he asked and Baekhyun immediately took his phone checking the message.

[09:10PM] From Park:  
I’m a super Marvel fan! And, are you worrying about me catching a cold, Byun? Should I feel honored?

He groaned again, letting his phone drop on the floor.  
“Why?” he asked shortly making Jondae laugh again.  
“Invite him over. Wasn’t the original plan to watch superheroes movie? Maybe he likes them too?” he commented and Baekhyun sighed.  
“He loves them” he whispered and Minseok clapped his hands together.  
“Perfect. If you don’t write him a message, I’ll do it for you” he concluded and Baekhyun groaned, picking up again his phone.

[09:21PM] To Park:  
Want to join us then? And, no why would I worry about you? You are already grown up.

He made the gesture to lock the screen but the reply was immediate.

[09:21PM] From Park:  
Wait.   
Are you inviting me over?

Baekhyun blushed immediately before typing a reply.

[09:22PM] To Park:  
Don’t make up strange ideas. My friends are here too. Meet you at common area, second floor in five minutes?

He didn’t even have to wait in order to have a reply.  
Chanyeol didn’t let any minute to pass.

[09:22PM] From Park:  
I’ll be there in two.

Baekhyun sat up immediately from where he was laying.  
“Fuck” he whispered earning a worried stare from Minseok and a scornful one from Jondae.  
“Prince Charming will be here in few minutes?” Jondae mocked him and Baekhyun groaned in exasperation.  
“I’ll go fetch him. Be right back” he replied, fixing his hair and exiting the door.  
He walked until common area of the second floor just in time to see Chanyeol almost running from the stairs coming from third floor.  
“Hi there” he greeted him and Baekhyun waved shortly.  
Chanyeol smirked, messing his hair up.  
“Sehun is not in the room and I was bored. Hope it’s fine for your friends if I tag along?” he added and Baekhyun nodded shortly.  
“No worries. I asked them before inviting you” he concluded, starting to walk toward Jondae and Minseok’s room.  
Chanyeol hummed.  
“Still, I’d eat ice cream” he added, making Baekhyun snort.  
“When season will be warmer, I’ll bring you to the best ice cream shop around here” Baekhyun added, smiling softly and earning a surprised stare from Chanyeol.  
He stopped suddenly, looking at Baekhyun in the eyes.  
Baekhyun stopped too.  
“Did I…?” he started but Chanyeol shook his head.  
“Did something happen?” he asked Baekhyun who raised his eyebrow, perplexity clearly showing in his expression.  
He shook his head shortly and Chanyeol forced a smile.  
“Okay” he just said, walking again and Baekhyun hummed, walking at his side.  
They remained silent until his friends’ room.  
He knocked twice and Jondae opened the door.  
“So you’re Park. Nice to meet you. I’m Kim Jondae and this is my roommate and friend, Kim Minseok” he started gesturing toward Minseok who greeted him, smiling.  
“Park Chanyeol, nice to meet you too” he replied, smiling softly and following the two inside the room.  
“We were planning to see Captain America, since Baek was in a nice mood and didn’t complain about it” Jondae started, making Baekhyun huff in exasperation, earning himself a perplexed stare from Chanyeol.  
Before he could even explain, Jondae spoke again.  
“Usually he’s Team Ironman, but tonight he seems to be relaxed enough to stand also Captain America” he added making Chanyeol laugh soundly.  
“So you’re Team Ironman too? Glad to know it…” he observed and Baekhyun shook his head shortly, sitting on the couch near Minseok.  
Chanyeol sat near him, watching Jondae setting the computer with and searching the movie.  
“Didn’t think you are fan of Marvel too” Baekhyun whispered making Chanyeol pull off one of his preciously soft smiles.  
“No? I grew up with Marvel, I’ve a whole collection of comics at home” he commented and Baekhyun smiled too.  
“You know, being the cool guy and so on. Comics are nerd things, not for guys who attend parties” he continued making Chanyeol snort, knee softly brushing with Baekhyun’s.  
Baekhyun flinched briefly, hiding his reaction with a fixing of his posture on the couch.  
“Who says I can’t do both?” Chanyeol asked him, honestly, smile still present on his lips and Baekhyun hummed.  
“No one. You are free to like whatever you want” he concluded, resting his head on the back of the couch and waiting the start of the movie.  
In the end, the movie could have been almost whichever movie, Baekhyun wouldn’t remind a single second of it.  
The couch was a bit tight-fitting for four grown up boys, so he had to fit in between Minseok and Chanyeol.  
With Minseok there was no problem.  
He was used to having physical contact with his friends.  
However, he was super aware of every single centimeter that was pressed against Chanyeol.  
He could feel the warmth coming from him.  
His flowery cologne.  
Especially when Chanyeol straightened his legs because he was uncomfortable.  
Or when he moved his arm on the top of the couch because they were to tight, making more space for Baekhyun, but a space that meant more physical contact with Chanyeol that Baekhyun didn’t need at all.  
When the movie ended, Baekhyun sat up almost immediately.  
“Guys, it was nice and all, but I’ll go sleep. If I return too late again, Soo will kill me” Baekhyun said making Jondae chuckle.  
“He will get your head, one of these days” he commented and Baekhyun snorted.  
“Sure. Especially if I keep complaining and smelling like oil colors and turpentine” he added, passing a hand through his hair.  
“I don’t dislike it” Chanyeol commented, making a faint blush appearing on Baekhyun’s cheeks and Jondae and Minseok exchanging a perplexed stare.  
“Maybe it’s because you are used to go in the art room, so you don’t give it too much attention. But for Kyungsoo it’s like poison” Minseok stated and Baekhyun sighed.  
“First thing he asks me is to take a shower because he cannot stand the smell. And heavens forsake me if I got in with stains on clothes or on my hair” he pointed out making Jondae laugh again.  
“I don’t even know why you didn’t ask for a different room assignment last year” he stated and Baekhyun opened up in a kind smile.  
“Because Soo is one of my best friend, despite him wanting me dead” he replied laughing soundly and walking to the door, followed by the other three.  
“Park, if you want to stay here more…” he started then but Chanyeol shook his head.  
“Nah, I’ll go to sleep too. It’s getting late and tomorrow there are lessons too” he interrupted him, smiling toward Jondae and Minseok.  
“Thanks for accepting me in” he said and they both shrugged their shoulders.  
“Baek’s friends are our friends” Jondae said and Baekhyun sighed in resignation.  
“Night, guys. See you tomorrow” he concluded exiting the room, followed by Chanyeol that after greeting them too, walked beside him.  
They returned in the common area and Baekhyun stopped near the stairs.  
“So, it seems that we are friends, aren’t we?” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun sighed.  
“Park, don’t pull it too much” he replied but Chanyeol shortly shook his head, smiling.  
“Aren’t you doing the same?” he asked again, making Baekhyun raise his eyebrow in perplexity, waiting for an explanation.  
“I mean, it’s clear that you talked about me before to your friends” he started and when Baekhyun tried to add something he stopped him, putting a hand in front of him.  
“And you clearly wouldn’t have invite whoever in” he added and Baekhyun sighed deeply, closing his eyes for a moment.  
“Park…” he started but Chanyeol shook his head, clearly resigned.  
“Let’s drop the subject. See you tomorrow” he concluded, taking the stairs and going on the upper floor, leaving Baekhyun with only frustration.  
He sighed again, walking down the stairs.  
When he reached his room, strangely Kyungsoo wasn’t in but he didn’t think too much into it, dropping on his bed, groaning.  
He was definitely screwed.  
He felt some kind of interest toward Chanyeol but how could he tell him?  
Especially while he was sure that Chanyeol would stay with him just until he was bored of him or he found a new interest or a new strange person to be with.  
He sighed again, snuggling his face into his pillow and exhaling all the frustration of the day.  
From that day on, it would be even more difficult to be around Chanyeol.  
And he wasn’t ready at all.

  
Exactly as Baekhyun expected, everyday life with Chanyeol became almost symbiotic.  
He couldn’t go in any place without Chanyeol.  
From when he exited his room, going to have breakfast in the dorm cafeteria, until work at night, Chanyeol was always near him.  
He also made good friend with Jondae, so knew always exactly where Baekhyun was.  
Not that Baekhyun felt like complaining.  
Chanyeol’s presence was pleasant, helped him drawing and, well, yeah, he could definitely assume that he had some feelings for the other boy.  
Not that he actually went and told Chanyeol.  
He kept his feelings and interest has distant as he could from him, always showing his usual self, the one a bit sassy and annoying about his own artworks.  
It was almost finals period and he was sitting in the library with Chanyeol, studying.  
Or at least, that was the original plan but suddenly Chanyeol started to doze off on his books, head leaning on his hand, hair gently falling on his forehead.  
It was a warm day and from the windows entered sunrays and a delicate breeze.  
Baekhyun was so awestruck that his hands moved even before he could process the thought, and he started drawing Chanyeol on his sketch note.  
And he didn’t realize that someone just sat in front of him.  
“That’s so gay” Jondae’s voice commented, making him flinch and close immediately the note with a low thud.  
When he realized that it was just Jondae, he sighed shortly, relieved.  
“You have to be careful, Baek” he whispered and Baekhyun hummed in consent, putting the sketch note in his bag, before watching again Jondae.  
“Are you here for some reasons, except stalking me around too?” he asked shortly and Jondae laughed.  
“The only one who has the right to stalk you seems to be Park, here” he replied, head gesturing to Chanyeol sleeping figure sitting near Baekhyun, and Baekhyun shook his head in reply.  
“He’s not stalking me. We go around together. Don’t you know that we are universally considered the worst assorted duo in the whole college?” he commented making Jondae raising his eyebrow, perplexity showing on his face.  
“What do you mean?” he asked and Baekhyun huffed a laugh.  
Baekhyun wasn’t stupid and neither deaf, even if he didn’t usually care about what people had to say about him or his being strange.  
However, if it had a negative influence on someone around him, he was more than aware of what people said.  
And he knew that almost every single member of college, especially the students living in the dorms, defined them as the worst assorted duo.  
Chanyeol was rich, a cool guy, smooth, flirty, easy-going and all what a youngster could want from his experience during college.  
Baekhyun instead was a poor guy who could attend that college only thanks to a scholarship, that wasn’t by any mean cool, didn’t like fashion nor parties not whatever else.  
They were a strange duo.  
Almost a joke, because how could someone so fitting as Chanyeol, be friend with someone so different as Baekhyun?  
“I’m not suited for being by his side, Dae. Everyone says it and soon enough he will know too” he whispered back, fingers pulling his hair back, stare shifting outside the windows.  
Jondae shook his head and wanted to comment but Baekhyun stopped him.  
“If you didn’t need anything else…” he started but Jondae sighed shortly.  
“Tonight I’m going out with Minseok. And out I mean me and him. Alone” he replied and Baekhyun opened in a soft smile.  
“Finally” he let out, making Jondae chuckle.  
“Yeah, I don’t know how I managed to convince him” he whispered but Baekhyun already took Jondae’s hands in his own.  
“Everything will be fine, Dae. I’m sure about it” he murmured supporting his best friend.  
It was some weeks ago that Jondae told Baekhyun that he realized that he was in love with Minseok.  
And after Baekhyun’s suggestions and advice, Jondae finally found the courage to invite the other out.  
“I’ll write you tonight. Whatever the outcome will be” Jondae added but Baekhyun smirked at him.  
“We already know that he will say yes, Dae” he commented and Jondae smiled softly too.  
“Well, definitely it’s an easier match than yours” he retorted and Baekhyun frowned shortly.  
“Can we not speak about it?” he groaned, shaking his head again.  
Jondae smiled once again before sitting up and patting his shoulder.  
“Keep it up with the good work” he concluded before going away, making Baekhyun sigh.  
He wanted to return to study, but at Jondae’s place, Kyungsoo sat almost one minute later.  
“Baekhyun, I have a favor to ask you” he whispered and Baekhyun perched up an eyebrow, curiously tinting his stare.  
“If I can help” he replied neutrally and Kyungsoo nodded shortly.  
“I need you out of our room until midnight. I know that it’s almost finals and you don’t work tonight?” he asked directly and Baekhyun frowned deeply.  
“Is something happening? Can I…?” he started saying but Kyungsoo shook his head shortly.  
“I know that I’m not giving you any notice and it’s not kind of me asking it, but can’t you go to Jondae’s?” he asked again and Baekhyun smiled shortly.  
“Yeah, no worries, Soo. Text me when I can return” he simply concluded and Kyungsoo smiled, faint blush appearing on his cheeks.  
“Thank you, Baek. I owe you” he replied and he was almost sitting up before Baekhyun sighed shortly.  
“Please, whatever it may be, safety first” Baekhyun added, making the faint blush catching fire.  
“S-Sure. Thanks” he concluded, walking away, and Baekhyun sighed again, closing his books.  
Jondae was finally acting upon his own feelings and it seemed that also Kyungsoo moved to some directions, even if Baekhyun didn’t know anything about it.  
Could it be that also Baekhyun could try and finally let Chanyeol in?  
Not being always on the defensive, but also showing him something more similar to Baekhyun’s usual self and not the façade one?  
It could be so easy if Chanyeol was really interested in him.  
And they weren’t so different from each other.  
Baekhyun sighed again before deciding that it wasn’t worth thinking too much about it.  
“Park” he called shortly and when the boy next to him didn’t reply, he slightly poked his cheek with his finger.  
“Park, I’m going to eat ice cream. Want to come?” he asked again and Chanyeol sat up almost immediately.  
“Ice cream? Where?” he asked and Baekhyun snorted.  
He put his books in his bag and sat up.  
“I’m going to that famous shop around the block. Are you up to a walk?” he asked and Chanyeol nodded, putting away his books too.  
They exited the library in silence and started walking toward the exit of the building.  
Chanyeol was still half-asleep and walked like on autopilot following Baekhyun around.  
“What are we doing tonight? Are we going to Jondae and Minseok’s?” he asked Baekhyun, who shook his head shortly.  
“Dae will go out with Minseok, so their room is out” he replied honestly and Chanyeol’s perplexed stare was already on him.  
“They are dating?” he asked as if it was the most normal thing in the world.  
Baekhyun hummed shortly, shaking his head.  
“Not yet? But soon they will. They both deserve all good things that can come from love” he replied, soft smile present on his lips.  
Chanyeol looked at him perplexed.  
“And what about you? You don’t have any girl or boy you like?” he asked neutrally, but making Baekhyun’s heart pound heavily in his chest.  
“What kind of question is this? You sound like my parents when they ask me if I’m engaged or not” he replied, shaking his head, forcing a smile.  
Chanyeol stopped in the hallway and Baekhyun imitated his gesture.  
“It’s just because you deserve all those good things too” he commented but it was more similar to a question that a simple affirmation.  
“I don’t have time for this. And I don’t feel anything for anyone in particular” he replied shortly, pulling out his best smile.  
Chanyeol hummed in thought.  
And before he could ask him another question that Baekhyun could or could not know how to reply to, he asked him immediately: “What about you? Don’t you have any girl on your list right now?”.  
Chanyeol snorted shortly, shaking his head.  
“Why only girls? I could have some gorgeous boys on my mind?” he replied and Baekhyun huffed shortly.  
“Because I saw you with that girl and I…” he started shortly but Chanyeol shook his head.  
“I also said that I’m interested in you and I’d like to go out with you, honestly speaking” he commented and Baekhyun almost choked on his own breath.  
“That’s…” he started but Chanyeol stopped him with his hand.  
“I know. Inappropriate. Because we are not even friends. Still, my intentions are the same” he interrupted him and Baekhyun felt the blush creeping up to his cheeks.  
“And yeah, I know, that all these words won’t…” he started but Baekhyun pushed his finger on Chanyeol’s lips, making him shut immediately.  
“I consider you a friend, actually, after all the time we spent together” he whispered, eyes not meeting with Chanyeol’s.  
There was a small silence and then Baekhyun added: “it seems strange that you call my friends by name and we are still on surname basis?”.  
Chanyeol almost beamed at him, warm smile widely appearing on his face.  
“So, I can call you…” he started and Baekhyun nodded shortly.  
“Whatever you prefer, Chanyeol” he ended for him and Chanyeol smirked.  
“Thanks, Baekhyun” he concluded and Baekhyun sighed, starting again to walk away followed immediately by Chanyeol.  
“Can I offer you ice cream, for this?” Chanyeol proposed but Baekhyun shook his head.  
“No, I will since today the weather is warm and it’s sunny” replied shortly, exiting the building and closing briefly his eyes, because there was too much light.  
Chanyeol stood up near him.  
“You are strangely compliant today” he commented and Baekhyun sighed shortly.  
“Do you want to take this ice cream or not? I’m leaving you here” he said without replying to his affirmation and walking toward the shop.  
Chanyeol smiled softly, following him.  
They stayed together in the afternoon, speaking about nothing and Baekhyun drawing the first blooming trees and flowers in the dusk light.  
When it was almost eight, Chanyeol received a phone call.  
Baekhyun remained silent, trying not too much to listen to what he was saying, but at a certain moment Chanyeol raised his voice, making Baekhyun flinch.  
“I don’t give a fuck of what pops wants or doesn’t. I won’t come home nor tonight nor either other night to come. He sent me here? Fine, but I’ll stay here until graduation” he said and Baekhyun flinched shortly.  
Chanyeol was clearly pissed off and Baekhyun could see it from how he was clenching on his phone.  
“I don’t want to discuss this any further. I’ll be back during spring break. Bye” he concluded hanging up and sighing shortly.  
“I’m sorry…” he started and Baekhyun shook his head, closing his sketchbook.  
“You don’t need to. Want to talk about it?” he asked him, stare shifting to meet Chanyeol’s.  
He sighed deeply.  
“What are you doing tonight?” he asked Baekhyun and he sighed in thought.  
“Dae is out with Minseok and Kyungsoo needs the room tonight. So I’ll stay in the common area drawing something?” he replied, shrugging his shoulders but Chanyeol shook his head.  
“Sehun is out, tonight. Do you want to watch a movie together?” he proposed softly and Baekhyun’s eyes went larger in surprise.  
It would mean them alone.  
In Chanyeol’s room.  
A place Baekhyun never went to before.  
While he found it embarrassing enough and he already saw words on Chanyeol’s lips, he nodded shortly.  
“Sure, why not” he replied pulling off a smile and trying not to think about what it meant.  
Chanyeol’s stare was perplexed.  
“Perfect. Do you want to eat in the cafeteria or…?” he started softly and Baekhyun hummed in thought.  
“Cafeteria is fine. I’ve almost finished my colors and I need a new canvas too” he started and then suddenly realizing that the list was still long, he groaned in despair.  
“Charcoal pencil will wait for next month…” he added putting away his sketchbook and sitting up.  
There was a small silence and then Chanyeol offered him to pay for the ice cream once again.  
“You don’t have to worry. I’m fine with this much” Baekhyun said softly smiling and after he paid, he started walking back to the dorms.  
They walked in silence almost until the cafeteria.  
“You got in with a scholarship, right?” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun nodded shortly.  
“I sent my application here even though my parents couldn’t afford the expenses and the fees. I hoped for the scholarship until the last day because otherwise I would have to go to another college, nearer home but not with this art program” he explained softly, entering the cafeteria and pulling out his student badge.  
He showed it to the attendant who softly smiled at him.  
“Byun, you’re so cute also tonight! Are you eating plenty?” she asked him, giving him a large service of rice and meat, instead of the normal one.  
Baekhyun smiled softly toward her.  
“Yes, Mrs. Choi. Thank you for always spoiling me” he replied and she cooed at him, thanking him again for being always so kind and cute.  
He sat with Chanyeol, not so much people being around and they started eating.  
“You know all the attendants here?” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun smiled softly.  
“Sure, they are always so kind and serve me larger servings than usual” he replied nodding while eating.  
Chanyeol smiled too but then remained silent.  
Baekhyun waited for him to say something, seeing that usually he was always talkative.  
“Do you want to talk about that phone call?” Baekhyun tried shortly and Chanyeol’s stare hardened again, shifting outside the windows.  
“My father is the CEO of a well-known enterprise. We always had luxury and wellness in our lives, but even though I asked him to send me to a college that was near home, where I could stay with my friends without moving nor sleeping in the dorms, he refused saying that this was the right one for me and I had to attend it” he started explaining and Baekhyun nodded shortly.  
“So I’m refusing to go home, I’ll go only when dorms will close” he commented and Baekhyun sighed.  
“Maybe there was a reason why your father sent you here?” Baekhyun suggested but Chanyeol shook his head finishing his meal.  
“He just wanted to punish me for not being the son he always hoped for” he concluded making Baekhyun sigh at the mention.  
“I don’t think it’s for this reason, Chanyeol. There surely is another explanation” he commented shaking his head and finishing his own meal too.  
They sat up and exited the cafeteria.  
“You are too naïve, Baekhyun. My father is calculating and severe. I cannot stand him at all” Chanyeol stated, walking toward the dorms, Baekhyun following him.  
He hummed in thought.  
“I don’t know your father personally, but I’m sure that it’s not only about that. Maybe some reason we can’t see because we are not so adult as he is” he told him shortly but Chanyeol shook his head again.  
Baekhyun sighed, dropping the subject.  
He felt like there was something else going on between Chanyeol and his own father.  
Chanyeol guided him until the third floor in front of his room.  
“It’s a bit messy because I didn’t plan to invite you over” he stated before entering and Baekhyun shook his head.  
“Nothing I’m not used to” he concluded and Chanyeol smiled toward him, opening the door.  
Chanyeol’s room was way larger than Baekhyun’s or Jondae’s and had not only one bathroom but two.  
“Whoa there. How come it’s so big?” Baekhyun asked looking around and Chanyeol shook his head.  
“I suppose it’s because both me and Sehun are sons of someone important?” he asked and Baekhyun sighed shortly, sitting on the couch, so fluffy he could have slept there, being it more comfortable that his own bed.  
“So fluffy” he let out resting his head on the back of the couch.  
Chanyeol snorted and Baekhyun blushed softly.  
“Sorry. I’m just…” he started but Chanyeol shook his head smiling softly.  
“No need to be sorry. It was… cute” he commented and Baekhyun blushed again.  
“Thanks?” he mumbled, stare shifting to the floor, but feeling Chanyeol’s stare on him.  
There was a short silence.  
“Really, are you sure nothing happened today or recently?” he asked Baekhyun who flinched shortly before shaking his head.  
“No, why?” he replied shortly and Chanyeol sat near him.  
“Because you are strange today” he stated and Baekhyun shook his head again.  
“I’m always strange. It just took you some time to acknowledge it?” he suggested, but Chanyeol shook his head, fingers gently stroking Baekhyun’s cheek.  
Baekhyun’s eyes was immediately on Chanyeol’s face.  
“No, usually you’re cold and keep me distant. Today I got to call you by your name, eat ice cream with you and I have you here sitting on my couch. It can’t be nothing” he whispered softly, his eyes staring directly into Baekhyun’s.  
Baekhyun stared back, unable to process what was happening, his lips moved around words but nothing exited.  
“Or are you saying that I finally managed to break through your defenses?” he asked, slightly leaning in and Baekhyun shook imperceptibly his head.  
“I’ve already told you. You will realize it that I’m not special and I’m not worth your time” he whispered and when Chanyeol tried to say something more, Baekhyun sighed, fingers reaching for Chanyeol’s and intertwining them, squeezing them softly.  
“Is it because what the others say about us? Being the worst assorted duo in the campus?” he asked him and Baekhyun shook his head shortly.  
“You have a reputation and a certain style of life. I’m not…” he started, but Chanyeol squeezed back his fingers in his.  
“Suitable? Is this your only problem, Baekhyun?” he asked again, searching into Baekhyun’s eyes for an answer or something like that.  
“No, I…” he started but Chanyeol smiled softly.  
“I don’t give a fuck of whatever people may say. You know that I’m interested in you” he continued but Baekhyun shook his head, slightly pushing him away.  
“You don’t have any reason to be interested in me” he murmured shortly but Chanyeol nodded.  
“Why not? You are fun, we have a lot of interests in common, and you see the world in different colors and ways. Things I can’t see and you make me feel… things” he tried to explain but Baekhyun sighed deeply.  
“Chanyeol, things is not a definition. And you are just looking for someone who can make you feel something again and then return to your usual behavior” he whispered back, making Chanyeol shook his head.  
“No, no, it’s not this, Baekhyun. You are the only one who can make me feel like this” he said, hand caressing Baekhyun’s hand in his.  
“Don’t. At how many people did you tell this same lie?” he asked and Chanyeol stared back at him, sadness tinting his stare.  
“No one. Because I had only small things until now… You are different” he replied making Baekhyun sigh again.  
“Let’s make a deal then” Baekhyun said, pushing Chanyeol’s shoulder and distancing him from himself.  
Chanyeol looked at him, perplexed.  
“If at the end of spring break, when you will be back from home and from vacation and so on, you will still be interested in whatever might be between us, I’ll start dating you” he said looking at him in the eye and Chanyeol nodded without even flinching.  
“It seems fair to me” he commented, nodding, before humming shortly in thought.  
“But can we still see each other, right?” Chanyeol asked and Baekhyun nodded, smiling softly.  
“Yeah, obviously. At least until finals and until we return to our home” he replied and Chanyeol nodded again.  
There was a small silence and then Chanyeol sighed shortly.  
“Does all of this mean that you’re even slightly interested in me too?” he asked Baekhyun who blushed softly, feeling the warm creeping up to his cheeks.  
“You are the only one that I let in so easily” he replied shortly, honesty sipping through his words.  
Chanyeol smiled softly.  
“You’re so cute, Baekhyun” he whispered but Baekhyun shook his head again, blush still present on his cheeks.  
“I’m not” he interjected and Chanyeol leant in, hugging him tightly.  
Baekhyun was surprised but gently patted Chanyeol’s back too, reciprocating the embrace.  
“I want to kiss you so bad” Chanyeol whispered but Baekhyun shook his head.  
“Don’t pull it too much, Chanyeol. I have to process things and we are already hugging” he replied making Chanyeol chuckle softly.  
They passed the evening together, sitting on the couch, hand in hand and talking about small nothings.

  
Finals went by in an instant and even before they could realize it, it was soon enough time to part.  
Baekhyun was packing when he heard a soft knock on the door.  
“Yeah? It’s open” he stated, folding his t-shirt.  
“Hey, beautiful” Chanyeol said pushing the door and making him blush.  
“Are you done packing?” Baekhyun asked him closing his duffle bag, and Chanyeol nodded, leaning on the jab of the door.  
“May I help you in something?” he asked again and Chanyeol huffed a laugh.  
“I’m leaving in no more than ten minutes. I wanted to…” he started and Baekhyun smiled softly at him.  
“Sure. We will see in two weeks, right?” he stated smile still present on his lips.  
“What will I do without you for two weeks?” he asked shortly and Baekhyun shook his head.  
“We don’t live in medieval era, Chanyeol. We can text and phone each other whenever you want. And it’s only two weeks” he replied, patting shortly on his shoulder and Chanyeol smiled softly.  
“Can I get a hug at least?” he asked softly and Baekhyun blushed, nodding shortly.  
Baekhyun opened his arms and Chanyeol hugged him almost immediately.  
They embraced for few minutes before Chanyeol’s phone ringtone went off.  
“I have to go” he whispered and Baekhyun nodded.  
“See you in two weeks, Chanyeol” he concluded and Chanyeol sighed.  
He was almost on the door and then he returned back, hugging him again, tightly for just a second before running away.  
Baekhyun looked at the door perplexed before smiling softly.  
Who knows what it would happen after those two weeks.

  
Spring break was a blessing.  
He sat all day in his grand-mother’s house garden, drawing and painting and those few days that it rained, he stayed inside sketching around his notebook.  
Seeing his parents was nice and a change of air with the pressure of college.  
But what he liked best, was the quality time with his grand-mother.  
She was very dear to Baekhyun and always shared a lot of things together.  
She also immediately knew that Baekhyun was in love with someone.  
Baekhyun was replying to Chanyeol’s text about being bored to death at home, when his grand-mother entered the living room.  
“Baek, you’re smiling so much” she said and Baekhyun blushed softly, locking his phone and raising his stare to meet his grand-mother’s.  
“It’s nothing” he replied but she sat near him smiling.  
“Sure, nothing as in a girl or a boy you’re interested in?” she asked making him blush again.  
“Come on, granny. He’s just a friend…” he started saying and she smiled widely.  
“So he’s a boy? How is he?” she continued, ignoring Baekhyun’s insistences in Chanyeol being only a friend.  
He huffed shortly a laugh.  
“He’s tall and handsome. His hair is always messy but it kind of suits him?” he started taking his sketchbook from his bag and flipping through the pages, until some of the sketches he drawn of Chanyeol and showing them to her.  
“Oh, he’s handsome” she said looking at them and Baekhyun blushed slightly again.  
“He is, right? But he’s like the coolest guy in the whole college and maybe I’m not the most popular guy over there?” he stated but his grand-mother shook her head.  
“What does popularity have to do with this?” she asked and when Baekhyun told her his reasons, she laughed shortly.  
“Baek, why don’t you try it out then? He likes going to these parties, right? Go with him. You always liked to dance and sing. And you were popular when you went school here. And you kept drawing all the way up to where you are. Being an artist doesn’t exclude being popular” she said softly and Baekhyun sighed.  
“But I don’t want to be popular, granny. I just want to know if he likes me for what I am or just because I’m not like his usual interests” he complained and she shook her head, smiling toward Baekhyun.  
“Dear, you can try and go with him nevertheless. If it will be the case, maybe you will understand more about him?” she suggested and Baekhyun sighed deeply.  
He wanted to reply something but his grand-mother stopped him.  
“Not now. But maybe later?” she observed and Baekhyun stared at her astonished before exploding in a laugh.  
His grand-mother stared at him perplexed before he could explain the reason why he laughed.  
“Chanyeol always tell me the same” he added and his grand-mother nodded shortly.  
“He’s a wise man then. Keep him near” she concluded and Baekhyun smiled softly.  
“I will try” he declared shortly.

Apart of revealing to his grand-mother that he was in love with Chanyeol, his spring break was fine.  
Chanyeol wrote him messages everyday and sometimes in the evening they also talked at the phone.  
Baekhyun felt like Chanyeol was more stressed at home than at college.  
He asked him several times to explain him if there was any problem or inquired about his family and especially about his father, but Chanyeol always find a way to shift the subject away.  
They just talked about everything happening in their lives.  
Baekhyun missed Chanyeol more than he could care to admit.  
Not having him around made him feel restless and tried to fill this lack with more art and playing at his grand-mother’s piano.  
And Chanyeol didn’t fail a single day to keep telling him that he missed him too.  
He felt somehow strange to have such relationship with someone.  
Baekhyun missed his friends too, but he didn’t text or phone Jondae everyday just to tell him how much he missed him.  
With Chanyeol it was different.  
He wanted to go back to college as soon as possible just to see him again.  
He also started to make a countdown to the day of his return to college.  
Which it was different from Chanyeol’s, since Baekhyun had to return several days earlier for his part-time work.  
He just wanted to meet with Chanyeol and nothing more.

  
He was back from almost five days already and he was preparing his bag with pencils and sketchbooks to go to the park, when someone knocked on the door.  
“Coming!” he exclaimed shortly, walking to the door and in the same moment he opened the door, he was hugged by someone with a flowery scent and a fluffy hoodie.  
“I’m back” Chanyeol’s low voice whispered in his ears and Baekhyun nodded shortly, hugging him back, hands stroking his back.  
“Welcome back” he whispered softly and Chanyeol nodded too, immediately detaching from him and looking him in the eyes.  
Baekhyun noted that he had still his backpack and suitcases with him, so he didn’t go to his room yet.  
His first thought was Baekhyun.  
“Spring break is over, Baekhyun” he stated and Baekhyun felt the blush creeping to his cheeks.  
They both knew what that meant.  
“Yeah” he simply said and Chanyeol pulled out one of his best smirk.  
“Will you date me, now?” he asked, taking Baekhyun’s hand in his and Baekhyun nodded shortly, almost immediately and without giving Chanyeol time to finish the sentence.  
Chanyeol’s eyes grew larger and he hugged him again, tightly.  
“Thank you” he whispered and Baekhyun shook his head.  
“There’s no need to thank me, Chanyeol” he murmured back, leaning his head on Chanyeol’s shoulder and feeling his hands caressing his back.  
They hugged in silence for minutes more than seconds.  
“I have to go put down these things, even if I don’t want to” Chanyeol whispered and Baekhyun chuckled softly.  
“Come on, I won’t disappear, and we have plenty of time” Baekhyun offered making Chanyeol shook his head shortly.  
“I’ll be right back. Or were you going out?” he asked him and Baekhyun nodded briefly.  
“I have few hours before work and I planned to go drawing in the park. Will you join me there?” he asked and Chanyeol nodded.  
“Same place” he concluded before vanishing up to the stairs.

  
Nothing actually changed when they started dating.  
They were united as before, always sticking together and following around.  
They spent almost every wake hour next to each other.  
This didn’t change Baekhyun’s focus on his artworks.  
He drew when Chanyeol was around and he took inspiration by him.  
Even though from the very start Minseok joked defining Chanyeol as Baekhyun’s personal muse, now Baekhyun thought exactly the same.  
He couldn’t remember a time when it was so easy to close his eyes and simply paint or draw what his heart suggested him, following emotions more than techniques.  
It came from the depth of his soul, even if he didn’t have the courage to tell Chanyeol about it.  
He was clearly invested in Chanyeol but he still was cautious about his own feelings toward him.  
Being around Chanyeol as his boyfriend instead of normal friend was something that Baekhyun wasn’t actually ready about.  
The whole world seemed to be made just to remember him that he wasn’t on Chanyeol’s same level for a set of things that made them socially incompatible.  
However, Chanyeol stuck together with Baekhyun without showing off his own richness or social status.  
So, the only things that changed, were the one on the physical level.  
Sometimes they sat in the park or in the art room, hand in hand, talking about small nothings.  
Or like the first time they kissed.  
They were in the art room and outside the rain was pouring.  
Baekhyun left a window slightly opened because he liked the sound and the smell of rain.  
Chanyeol arrived a little bit later because he had to remain more for a class.  
Baekhyun was singing an old Korean song about rain while he was painting when Chanyeol entered.  
“I like your voice” Chanyeol whispered from the door and Baekhyun turned to him, smiling.  
“Hey, didn’t hear you enter. Everything is fine?” he asked putting down his palette and brush.  
Chanyeol neared him, shaking his head.  
He seemed a bit tired but had that soft stare he had every time he stared at Baekhyun.  
“I need to recharge my batteries” he whispered almost hugging him and then noticing something, stopping his gesture.  
Baekhyun stared at him perplexed.  
“Is there any…?” he started but Chanyeol’s fingers slightly brushed his chin and neck, making him shiver and lose his words in an instant.  
“You painted yourself too” he whispered, stare losing in Baekhyun’s eyes and Baekhyun hummed shortly.  
“Thanks” he breathed, feeling Chanyeol’s warm proximity more than the other times.  
There was a small silence and Chanyeol’s fingers slightly moved to the back of his neck, caressing it and making Baekhyun hummed in content.  
He could feel that Chanyeol was hesitating.  
Maybe because the first time, Baekhyun himself refused him.  
So he had to make the first step this time.  
“I… want to kiss you so bad” he whispered, eyes staring right into Chanyeol’s and waiting for some kind of afterthoughts or unsureness.  
“I want it too” Chanyeol whispered back and Baekhyun could feel his breath on his lips for how much he was close.  
“Then come down here and kiss me” he concluded and Chanyeol almost didn’t let him finish the sentence.  
He leant in, pressing his lips together with Baekhyun’s who kissed him back, lips moving against his.  
Baekhyun kissed someone before, but that was his first serious kiss and somehow he didn’t know how to behave about it.  
Chanyeol’s hand caressed the back of his neck, pulling him in for more contact, tongue licking his lips for gaining access to his mouth.  
Baekhyun let him in and followed his lead with his tongue too, hand slightly gripping on Chanyeol’s shirt.  
They kissed slowly until Chanyeol pulled back slowly and unwillingly, placing a last kiss on his lips.  
Baekhyun felt like his lips could catch fire in any moment there, even though he wasn’t tired of the sensation of Chanyeol’s lips on his.  
He could have wanted even more.  
Chanyeol smiled softly toward him and Baekhyun blushed slightly.  
“I liked it” Baekhyun said shortly and Chanyeol chuckled.  
“I like you” he added, making Baekhyun blushed more profusely.  
“I like you too” he whispered, taking Chanyeol’s hand in his.  
It wasn’t exactly official that they were dating, but it wasn’t a secret either.  
Chanyeol stopped going to the parties, picking up Baekhyun’s weird obsession with Netflix series and his unruled sleeping schedules.  
And it was the first time they actually used the word like referring to the feelings they felt for each other.  
But it wasn’t definitely the last one.  
They started passing even more time together, sometimes Baekhyun falling asleep on Chanyeol’s couch, cuddling with him.  
They lost the concept of personal space and time.  
Baekhyun has always been touchy with his friends and he didn’t restraint with Chanyeol either.  
Cuddling was a daily thing for them, or in Chanyeol’s room or in the art room.  
Sehun, Chanyeol’s friend and roommate, once said that Chanyeol smelled like oil colors too, being too much with Baekhyun.  
Baekhyun tried to apologize for it with Chanyeol, suggesting that he wouldn’t go to the art room anymore, but Chanyeol scolded him.  
“Why are you even apologizing? I don’t dislike it” he just said and Baekhyun hummed, not convinced but appreciating the kindness of his boyfriend.

  
That day they were in the art room when Chanyeol received a phone call from Jongin, inviting him to a huge party that Friday night.  
Chanyeol replied that he would have let him know if he could go or not and hung up.  
Baekhyun hummed in thought, catching Chanyeol’s attention.  
“Is something the matter?” he asked him, nearing him but Baekhyun shook his head shortly.  
He didn’t want that Chanyeol wouldn’t go to any party just because he didn’t like them either.  
“You can go, if you want” he said softly, trying to concentrate on the painting that was missing something and he couldn’t quite figure out what exactly.  
Chanyeol shook his head near him, pointing out something in the painting and Baekhyun nodded, brushing in the area, smoothing the color and shading it a bit.  
When he was content with the result, he turned to face Chanyeol.  
“Really, Chanyeol. If you want to go…” he started again but Chanyeol shook his head again.  
Baekhyun huffed shortly.  
“You said that parties make you feel free and happy. So go, I trust you and I know you won’t do anything strange” he continued but Chanyeol clicked his tongue.  
“You never were there, how could you know?” he asked brusquely and Baekhyun’s eyes widened in surprise.  
What kind of reaction was it?  
It didn’t make any sense, but it got on Baekhyun’s nerve.  
It wasn’t like he could do anything about going or not to a party.  
And was it so strange the fact that he trusted Chanyeol?  
“Oh, sure, sorry” he concluded putting down both palette and brush and started to walk away.  
Chanyeol straightened his arm, blocking Baekhyun between him and the wall, not letting him go away.  
“You don’t even know what happens at parties” he whispered and Baekhyun shook his head, staring back at Chanyeol, his usual fierce stand kicking back in.  
“And why are not going then? You are the one who is navigated and were at hundreds of them. Should be easy for you going to one” he spat out and Chanyeol’s eyes widened in surprise.  
“Why are you so willing to make me go?” he asked back and Baekhyun shook his head.  
“It’s not like you have to go, but it seems to me that your forcing yourself not to go” he commented and Chanyeol shook his head too.  
“Are you kidding me? The time that I have I want to spend it with you” he retorted and Baekhyun sighed.  
“I like spending time with you too, Chanyeol. But you don’t have to always do things with me. When we met your only raison d’être seemed to be going to parties. And then suddenly you stop going at all?” he noted and Chanyeol sighed shortly, caressing Baekhyun’s cheek.  
“Babe, it’s just because I’m interested only in staying with you” he continued but Baekhyun shook his head.  
“What if I want to go with you?” he asked and Chanyeol’s eyes widened in surprise.  
In fact, also Baekhyun was surprised.  
How in the world did he even think about suggesting it?  
It wasn’t like him at all.  
“What?” he asked back and Baekhyun smiled softly.  
“You don’t want to? We would be together and you would be able to go to the party” he suggested and Chanyeol raised his eyebrow.  
“You don’t like them” he objected and Baekhyun shrugged his shoulder.  
“Maybe because I’ve never went to one?” he replied shortly, using the same words Chanyeol told him what seemed to be ages ago.  
Chanyeol shook his head shortly.  
“You don’t have to force yourself coming with me, Baekhyun” he whispered but Baekhyun caressed his cheeks, moving to the back of his neck and pulling him down for a short kiss, gentle no more than a peck.  
“Why are you so worried? I’ll be with you, whatever it will happen…” he started saying but Chanyeol sighed again, leaning his forehead on Baekhyun’s.  
“I don’t want other people to see you. I don’t want other people to hear you sing or see you dance” he whispered again and Baekhyun’s eyes grew larger.  
“Chanyeol, what…” he started but Chanyeol shook his head without detaching from Baekhyun’s forehead.  
“And you, why are you so willing to go?” he asked him softly making Baekhyun chuckle.  
“Because it’s part of you. And I want to know everything of you” he replied like it was the easier thing in the world.  
Chanyeol was agape, eyes searching in Baekhyun’s for any signs of lies but he found only love and support.  
“Do you really want to go?” he asked Baekhyun who nodded certain in his choice.  
Chanyeol inhaled sharply, closing his eyes, both hands reaching up from Baekhyun’s cheeks.  
“I still don’t like the idea of other people watching you” he whispered and Baekhyun caressed the back of his neck again.  
“But I’m yours” he interjected but Chanyeol shook his head.  
“They don’t know it” he whispered and Baekhyun huffed shortly.  
“Then let them know it” he concluded pulling at his necktie and unbuttoning the first two buttons of his shirt, revealing his neck and collarbones.  
Chanyeol’s eyes widened in surprise, but his lips were already on Baekhyun’s neck biting him and slightly sucking the part, leaving a hickey.  
Baekhyun hummed, fingers carding in Chanyeol’s hair, pulling him closer, near to his body.  
He wanted that contact with Chanyeol so much.  
He was physically attracted to Chanyeol and for the moment they didn’t get past the cuddle.  
But eventually this was destined to happen.  
It was days that his hands lingered longer on Chanyeol’s knees while they were sitting together, or Chanyeol’s hands remained longer on Baekhyun’s shoulders after they hugged.  
Chanyeol’s hands moved on his body resting on his waist, making Baekhyun moan lowly.  
“Baekhyun” Chanyeol called him softly, licking his collarbone, nearing him more and pressing Baekhyun between himself and the wall.  
Baekhyun inserted his hands in Chanyeol’s back pocket and groped his ass, pulling him even closer if possible.  
Chanyeol hummed in appreciation, biting also his collarbones and leaving a long way of red signs on Baekhyun’s skin.  
One of Baekhyun’s hand went to Chanyeol’s hair, caressing it and earning himself a low purr from Chanyeol.  
“I want to touch you” Chanyeol whispered and Baekhyun hummed in appreciation.  
“Then do it” he just answered, fingers moving to unbutton the other buttons of his shirt.  
Chanyeol didn’t make him repeat twice, hands moving to help him and caressing immediately the skin underneath it.  
Baekhyun groaned in appreciation, moving his hands under Chanyeol’s t-shirt, fingers caressing his abs and making him goosebumps.  
“You’re so beautiful” Chanyeol whispered in his ear before slightly biting it and licking him behind the ear.  
“No, you are” he commented, shifting his head, giving Chanyeol more space to move on his neck.  
Chanyeol’s mouth was in few minutes, everywhere on Baekhyun’s skin and Baekhyun’s hands were everywhere under Chanyeol’s t-shirt, teasing and caressing him.  
When Baekhyun pinched softly Chanyeol’s nipple, he bit him a little bit harder, arching his back, erection brushing with Baekhyun’s one and they both moaned deeply at the contact.  
Baekhyun felt that his trousers were too tight in that moment and he had to do something about it because he definitely couldn’t walk like that around the school or the dorms.  
And Chanyeol seemed to be on his same idea.  
“Do you want me to take care of that?” he asked, whispering near his neck, making Baekhyun chuckle.  
“Only if we do it together, since it seems that you have your own set of hard time over there too” he joked and Chanyeol snorted.  
“Sure, together sounds more than fine for me” he concluded, hands already moving to reach for Baekhyun’s zip and Baekhyun’s hands moved to Chanyeol’s belt.  
Baekhyun felt the urge of touching Chanyeol and wanted Chanyeol to touch him oh so much.  
He easily found his way to Chanyeol’s erection and softly brushed it with his fingers, earning a low groan from Chanyeol.  
He took it in his hand swiftly, feeling Chanyeol’s fingers around his cock too, making him repress a moan.  
Chanyeol leant his forehead on Baekhyun’s and they started stroking each other, breathing into each other, moans slowly feeling the room.  
Chanyeol’s erection was thick in Baekhyun’s hand and he used precum as lubricant, making it easier to stroke him, earning moans and groans.  
Chanyeol stroked him harder, making him groan and arching his back, searching from more friction.  
“Chanyeol, harder” he whispered and Chanyeol nodded, groaning deeper, when Baekhyun stroked him faster, slightly pressing more.  
“Baekhyun, please” he pleaded, breath coming shorter.  
Baekhyun moaned again, complying immediately and feeling Chanyeol’s coming on his hand.  
He bit his lips, coming too on Chanyeol’s fingers, trying to muffle his moans.  
They stayed in that position, without moving, just trying to gain their breath again.  
“It was…” Chanyeol started, trying to force his breath normal again.  
“Unexpected and pleasant” Baekhyun completed for him, staring at Chanyeol who nodded, smiling at him in a bliss.  
Baekhyun placed a small kiss on his lips before removing his hand from Chanyeol’s boxer and jeans.  
“I should have some offcuts that I usually use for cleaning the brushes. They are clean, I brought them yesterday” he said and Chanyeol nodded, eyes searching for the offcuts.  
They were near the canvas where Baekhyun was painting when Chanyeol received the call.  
He took them and offered one to Baekhyun who smiled softly, thanking him.  
“I need to go to the coin laundry, then” Baekhyun added, making Chanyeol snort.  
There was a small silence interrupted only by the sound of the rain outside.  
“So we are going to that party, right?” he asked Chanyeol, slightly touching his neck where Chanyeol left some marks.  
And Chanyeol nodded.  
“Friday. It means in two days” he said and Baekhyun nodded.  
“Perfect” he concluded.

  
The idea of going to the party wasn’t itself so bad nor made Baekhyun scared.  
What was pressuring him was how to dress?  
But he was lucky enough.  
He had the right friend to ask to: Jondae.  
Friday afternoon he went to meet Jondae, asking him advice on what to wear.  
“Wait, let me process this information” he started sitting on the couch and pressing his fingers on his temples.  
Baekhyun stared at him perplexed but remained quiet waiting for his friend to speak again.  
“So, you, Baekhyun and no others, are going to a fucking party tonight? With your boyfriend? And are asking me for advice on how to dress?” he asked and Baekhyun nodded shortly, red slightly tinting his cheeks at the word boyfriend.  
Jondae turned to Minseok, stare blank in perplexity and then shook his head.  
“I’m dreaming or dead, right?” he asked him, making Minseok chuckle softly.  
“Dae, come on. He’s honestly asking you for a help” he noted and Baekhyun was already on his way out of the room when Jondae stopped him.  
“Baek, it’s so great that I don’t know how to contain my enthusiasm!” he exclaimed and Baekhyun frowned a bit.  
“Enthusiasm?” he echoed and Jondae nodded, almost running to his closet and pulling Baekhyun with him.  
“We have the same size, right?” he asked ignoring him and Baekhyun nodded shortly.  
“Perfect! Try this” he started pulling out some jeans from the closet and Baekhyun was perplexed but followed Jondae’s orders.  
He tried on clothes for the following two hours.  
Jondae was really critical and wanted Baekhyun to look perfect.  
When they ended with the clothes and Baekhyun finally thought that he was free from all that sufferance, Jondae pulled out his make-up bag.  
“At least a bit. You will like it” he added when Baekhyun made a strange face.  
He wanted to comment but Jondae made puppy’s eyes and Baekhyun sighed.  
“Fine, do whatever you please. I trust you” he concluded and Jondae almost squealed in excitement.  
Baekhyun sat quiet and silent under Jondae’s ministration and, after almost half an hour, he didn’t recognize himself at the mirror.  
“Dae, you make miracles” he whispered, touching his face, incredulous.  
Jondae chuckled behind him.  
“You are pretty. I just polished your best traits and valorized them?” he observed but Baekhyun shook his head.  
“I could never imagine I was this… cute?” he tried and Minseok laughed from where he was sitting on Jondae’s bed.  
“You are always cute, Baek. You just don’t realize it?” he noted and Baekhyun huffed shortly.  
“And you can’t say anymore that it’s not true” Jondae added, making Baekhyun immediately shut up.  
He double checked himself in the mirror.  
Actually, Jondae was right.  
Makeup suited him pretty much.  
But what made the difference was certainly the clothes.  
Instead of his usual jeans and hoodie that he wore when he was outside school and wasn’t forced on putting on the uniform, he had a black silk shirt and black trousers that fitted his shapes nicely.  
He felt almost confident about that evening out.  
Baekhyun wanted to comment further but his phone pinged, requesting his attention.

[06:35PM] From Chanyeol:  
Wait for you outside the dorm in ten minutes?

He typed back a quick sure and then pocketed his phone.  
“Guys, wish me good luck?” he commented making both Jondae and Minseok smile widely.  
“You won’t need it, Baek. Everything will be fine and you’re with Chanyeol. Nothing to worry about” Jondae commented, but Baekhyun shook his head.  
“I’d worry especially because I’m with Chanyeol” he commented, laughing, even if he knew that he wouldn’t even dream about going to a party without Chanyeol.  
Minseok huffed a laugh too before patting his shoulder.  
“Go and have fun, Baek. If you need anything, text us” he concluded and Baekhyun nodded, taking the jacket Jondae was offering him, along with his wallet and keys.  
“See you tomorrow” he ended, exiting the door and walking to the corridor, reaching for the common area and the stairs, when he met Chanyeol that was almost running down the stairs.  
He greeted him waiving his hand and Chanyeol stopped immediately staring at him perplexed.  
“Baekhyun?” he asked, uncertain and Baekhyun nodded shortly, frowning at the question.  
Chanyeol’s eyes grew larger and his lips moved around words that didn’t leave his mouth.  
“Is everything okay?” Baekhyun asked him back, nearing him, hand slightly reaching for the other’s cheek.  
Chanyeol let him stroke his cheek but was still clearly perplexed.  
“Chanyeol, for heavens’ sake, is there something wrong? I’m worried…” he asked but Chanyeol shook his head, taking Baekhyun’s other hand in his.  
“You wore makeup” he whispered and Baekhyun nodded shortly, not understanding if it was a statement or a question.  
“Is it bad?” he asked back, stare inquiring Chanyeol’s stare.  
Chanyeol shook his head again, stare unwillingly leaving Baekhyun’s face and checking him out from head to toes.  
Baekhyun was about to speak again when Chanyeol smirked shortly, pulling Baekhyun in his arms and hugging him.  
Baekhyun was surprised, but hugged him back, hands stroking his back slowly.  
He wanted to ask Chanyeol so bad what was happening but Chanyeol kissed him near his temple.  
“You are stunning, Baekhyun” he whispered near his ear and Baekhyun blushed softly.  
“I didn’t know what was appropriate to wear so I asked Dae and Seok for a help?” he replied shortly and Chanyeol hummed in agreement.  
“They made an impeccable work” he added and Baekhyun chuckled.  
“Dae is a genius in this kind of things” he commented, making Chanyeol shook his head and distancing himself from Baekhyun just to see him better again.  
“He was already working on someone flawless” Chanyeol noted making Baekhyun snort, still red picking up on his cheeks.  
“I’m not. And won’t we go? It’s not good to make people wait” he suggested taking Chanyeol’s hand and starting to walk downstairs.  
Chanyeol pulled slightly his hand, making him stop.  
Baekhyun stared at him perplexed, waiting for an explanation.  
“I don’t want other people to see you” he whispered and Baekhyun blushed again, softly.  
“I still have these” Baekhyun noted back, revealing his collarbone, hickeys still clearly showing.  
Chanyeol shook his head.  
“Still… you are so beautiful” he commented and Baekhyun sighed.  
“I will be with you all the evening. I won’t leave neither for a second. And I don’t know what you are worrying about, actually. It’s not like…” he started but Chanyeol kissed him briefly.  
“Promise you won’t leave even for a moment?” he asked and Baekhyun sighed nodding.  
“Let’s go, then” Chanyeol concluded.

  
The party was at one Chanyeol’s rich friend’ house.  
It was one of the largest house Baekhyun ever saw in his life.  
When they arrived, there was already a lot of people dancing and drinking around.  
They immediately met with Jongin that was perplexed to see Chanyeol in company, but he was even more perplexed when he realized that Chanyeol’s partner was indeed Baekhyun.  
“Byun, almost I didn’t recognize you” he stated and Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders.  
“Sorry for deluding you, Kim” he commented back and Chanyeol pulled him toward the kitchen.  
“Let’s get something to drink. Did you eat something before coming here?” he asked Baekhyun and he nodded shortly.  
“Snacks while I was with Dae and Seok” he replied and Chanyeol nodded.  
“Fine enough for not getting you drunk with only two or three glasses” he commented and Baekhyun laughed soundly.  
“It’s not like that since I never went to a party, I also never ever drank something alcoholic” he stated and Chanyeol smiled at him, hand resting on Baekhyun’s waist.  
“Baekhyun, I just want you to enjoy it at his fully” he commented and Baekhyun smiled widely.  
“I know, thank you” he concluded, hand slowly caressing Chanyeol’s cheek.  
Baekhyun didn’t know what exactly one would do at party, but him after trying not to make a show when some of his favorite songs played, he couldn’t resist anymore and dragged Chanyeol to dance with him.  
He couldn’t exactly dance, but he made an idea that no one in that place could professionally do it.  
Dancing around with Chanyeol was as pleasant as Baekhyun could imagine.  
Feeling Chanyeol’s hands on his waist or on his back, swinging at the rhythm of the music.  
Chanyeol’s cologne was different from the usual one and kind of clouded Baekhyun’s rational thoughts.  
Chanyeol was just as fascinating and cool as he usually was.  
And Baekhyun hardly managed not to think of how sexy he looked.  
Coming from the dorms, Chanyeol was the worried one about other people looking at Baekhyun but in that moment, Baekhyun felt worried too.  
How could he be so lucky to have someone as Chanyeol for him and him only?  
It sounded too good to be true.  
However Baekhyun decided not to think about it that night.  
As Chanyeol said, he wanted simply to enjoy it wholly.  
They danced and drank a lot but nothing overboard that would make them both feel miserable during the weekend.  
“It’s almost midnight” Baekhyun noted, gulping down his glass filled with only water because he felt like he needed it more than everything else.  
“Yeah, want to go back?” Chanyeol replied him smiling shortly and Baekhyun nodded.  
They walked back to the dorms, night air still a bit cold, making Baekhyun shivering slightly.  
“Are you cold?” Chanyeol asked him, passing his arm around Baekhyun’s shoulders and pulling him closer to him.  
Baekhyun nodded shortly making Chanyeol shook his head.  
“We are almost there. Do you want my jacket?” he asked him but Baekhyun shook his head too.  
When they arrived at the dorms, Chanyeol stopped in front of the entrance, making Baekhyun stop near him.  
“Sehun is still out and probably won’t be back tonight. Do you want to…” he started and Baekhyun felt a blush creeping up his cheeks.  
“Spend the night?” he completed for Chanyeol who nodded shortly.  
“Tomorrow we don’t have classes to attend” he added briefly and Baekhyun hummed in thought.  
He was still excited from the party and Chanyeol looked gorgeous that night.  
Baekhyun wasn’t stupid or naïve.  
He knew exactly what Chanyeol was proposing him.  
Chanyeol’s mouth moved around words but Baekhyun shook his head shortly.  
“Sure. Let’s go” he concluded, small smile appearing on his lips and Chanyeol stared at him perplexed.  
“If you don’t…” Chanyeol tried but Baekhyun took Chanyeol’s hands in his, moving toward dorms entrance.  
“I would tell you. Since I’m telling you that is fine, let’s go. I’m cold” he concluded and Chanyeol sighed briefly, letting out a chuckle.  
They silently went to Chanyeol’s room and once inside, Baekhyun sat immediately on the couch.  
“Your couch is so fluffy” he whispered making Chanyeol smile.  
“I’m starting to think that you accepted to date me because you wanted my couch” Chanyeol added, taking away his jacket and making Baekhyun chuckle softly.  
“Sure. It was the only reason… Because I’m in love with it” he commented, fingers stroking the fabric.  
Chanyeol smiled, leaning in and kissing Baekhyun’s forehead.  
“Whatever is fine for me, since I’m in love with you” he whispered making Baekhyun’s eyes grew larger and cheeks tinting of a deep red.  
“It’s…” he started and when he saw that Chanyeol was already apologizing for what he said, he shook his head.  
“It’s the same for me. I love you, Chanyeol” he murmured, unable to meet his stare and keeping it on his fingers on the fabric.  
There was a small silence.  
“Did I say something wrong?” he asked, finally meeting Chanyeol’s eyes and he shook his head, wonder sipping through his expression.  
“I couldn’t hope to hear it from you anytime soon” he whispered making Baekhyun blush.  
“I’m…” he started but Chanyeol kissed him softly, hand caressing his cheeks.  
“You are not” he assured him in between the kisses and pulling him up from the couch and toward his bed.  
Baekhyun hummed shortly in the kisses, caressing Chanyeol’s hair and pulling him near.  
“You are beautiful, Baekhyun, and you don’t know how much I want you…” he started saying, caressing his sides and Baekhyun sighed at the touch.  
“I get the idea quite well, actually. I want you too…” he whispered, starting to unbutton Chanyeol’s shirt, who hummed in appreciation.  
“You can touch me or doing whatever you want, Baekhyun. I’m yours…” he continued, fingers moving on Baekhyun’s shirt too.  
When they both were without shirts, Chanyeol gently pushed Baekhyun on the bed, hovering on him, stare enquiring in Baekhyun’s.  
“Whatever I want?” Baekhyun asked back, smirk slowly pulling up on his lips and Chanyeol smiled back.  
“Yeah, any ideas?” he retorted and Baekhyun’s hands moved on Chanyeol’s face, caressing his cheeks and hair.  
“I want everything of you, Chanyeol. You are so beautiful and…” he started but Chanyeol leant in again, kissing him senseless.  
“You are. I’m not. You are stunning, and cute and, heavens, I wanted to touch you all this evening” he whispered between the kisses.  
Baekhyun kissed him back humming and hands moving on Chanyeol’s chest, caressing his sides and abs.  
“I wanted it too. Actually, I still want it…” he murmured and Chanyeol moved his lips on Baekhyun’s neck licking and biting it.  
Baekhyun groaned, back arching and erection brushing with Chanyeol’s, making him moan.  
“Baekhyun…” he whispered in his ears and Baekhyun felt goosebumps on his skin.  
Chanyeol’s voice resounded so deep into Baekhyun’s that seemed to reach right into him.  
He moved his hands on Chanyeol’s back, caressing his shoulder blades and enjoying the feeling of his skin under his hands and Chanyeol’s mouth on his skin.  
His hands shifted down to squeeze Chanyeol’s ass, making Chanyeol groan again.  
“Why don’t we take this off?” Baekhyun suggested, pulling at the belt holes of Chanyeol’s jeans and making him chuckle.  
“Sure. Only if I can take your off too” he replied and Baekhyun nodded, blush shortly appearing on his cheeks.  
Chanyeol raised shortly and started taking off his jeans and then he completely dedicated himself to remove Baekhyun’s, slowly, fingers brushing to his sides, legs, finally getting to remove them completely.  
Baekhyun sighed at the touches and Chanyeol’s caressed his thighs, gently and lovely, until the border of his boxer, admiring Baekhyun’s body and his reaction.  
Baekhyun closed his eyes, enjoying the touches and sighing in contentment.  
“Come here” Baekhyun whispered extending his arms toward Chanyeol who complied immediately and kissed his forehead.  
“You are so beautiful” he said shortly and Baekhyun caressed his cheeks.  
“You are too, Chanyeol. And I want you so much” he commented, intentionally brushing his erection with Chanyeol’s and earning himself a low groan.  
“B-Baekhyun” he called him, hands moving to caress his sides and reaching for the hem of his boxer.  
“May I?” he asked Baekhyun who nodded shortly.  
“I don’t know what you are waiting for actually” he commented making Chanyeol laughing shortly.  
“So impatient” he commented kissing Baekhyun’s hipbones and slowly removing his boxer.  
Baekhyun helped him shortly arching his back.  
Once his boxer was out of the way, Chanyeol observed him in awestruck.  
“You are…” he started and Baekhyun shook his head.  
“Beautiful? You keep telling me…” he started and Chanyeol shook his head.  
“No. It’s more than beautiful. I don’t have any more words, Baekhyun” he whispered, fingers caressing him and Baekhyun sighed deeply.  
“I’ve never imagined you like the type of complimenting your lover so much” Baekhyun added and Chanyeol inhaled shortly.  
“It’s just you. Usually I go directly where I want, but you make me want to tell you how perfect you are” he whispered and Baekhyun blushed again.  
“Chanyeol” he whined shortly and making Chanyeol chuckled.  
“Sorry… I won’t say anything anymore” he commented but Baekhyun sighed and in a moment he shifted their position, hovering on Chanyeol.  
Chanyeol stared at him perplexed.  
“Baek…?” he started but Baekhyun kissed him shortly.  
“You can say whatever you want, Chanyeol. I don’t dislike it” he murmured, started to kiss him slowly on the neck and on the back of his ear.  
Chanyeol hummed, hands caressing his sides.  
“And I would like to live this moment forever” he whispered again and reaching for Chanyeol’s boxer.  
“Unfortunately, we don’t have forever and I don’t know if or when your roommate will be here” he added, inserting his fingers in the hem of Chanyeol’s boxer and shortly pulling.  
Chanyeol smiled softly, caressing Baekhyun’s sides again and helping him out to remove his own boxer too.  
Baekhyun blushed softly at the vision but then smiled embarrassed at him.  
“You are so beautiful…” he started, caressing his abs and slowly descending to Chanyeol’s erection.  
“And so hard” he continued making Chanyeol sigh when his fingers brushed slightly to his erection, earning himself a moan.  
“It’s because of you” he whispered and pulled him down to kiss him.  
Baekhyun kissed him back, tongue following Chanyeol’s directions.  
Chanyeol used Baekhyun’s apparent distraction to shift their positions again.  
Baekhyun was already complaining but Chanyeol shook his head.  
“Nope. We have to prepare you properly” he whispered and Baekhyun huffed.  
“I can do it alone” he commented but Chanyeol laughed shortly.  
“And losing this possibility? I don’t think so” he replied immediately, making Baekhyun blush profusely.  
“F-Fine then” he murmured softly and Chanyeol smiled at him.  
“I’ll be as gentle as possible, Baekhyun” he whispered at his ear, moving to reach for the lube.  
Baekhyun sighed when he felt the cold sensation near his entrance and deeply sighed, trying to relax about what was to come.  
Chanyeol caressed his cheek with the other hand, staring at him in the eye.  
“I’ll do it slowly” he whispered and Baekhyun nodded shortly.  
He felt the friction and the insertion, cold and slow as Chanyeol kissed his temple and neck, telling him sweet nothings.  
“I’m good, Chanyeol” he said shortly and Chanyeol nodded, starting to move his finger inside him, adding more lube.  
And inserting another finger and then another, moving inside him, checking Baekhyun’s reactions.  
“I’m not made of porcelain” Baekhyun whispered, moaning at the friction, gripping Chanyeol’s comforter in his hands.  
“I don’t want to hurt you” Chanyeol replied, caressing his side, moving until Baekhyun’s erection and stroking it gently, making Baekhyun groan again.  
“I’m fine, you don’t need to…” he started and Chanyeol nodded, giving Baekhyun’s erection another stroke before removing his fingers unhurriedly.  
Baekhyun flinched at the lack, but it didn’t take longer before Chanyeol, after putting on a condom and pouring lube on it, will take the place of his fingers.  
“May I?” he asked shortly and Baekhyun hummed, hair sticking to his forehead.  
He felt Chanyeol filling him up in a swift move, making him groan at the sudden friction.  
“You are so… thick” he whispered, biting his lips, hand moving to grasp on Chanyeol’s shoulder.  
It wasn’t definitely the first time Baekhyun fingered himself, but having Chanyeol inside him was a totally different thing and he stretched him, almost hurting.  
“And you are so tight” Chanyeol murmured, caressing his sides, trying to ease him and waiting for Baekhyun’s okay.  
“You can move” Baekhyun said, looking at him and smiling softly, fingers carding through his hair and pulling him down to a kiss.  
Chanyeol kissed him back, starting to move slowly inside him.  
The room was filled with moans and groans, Baekhyun gripping on Chanyeol’s back, probably leaving some marks on his back.  
He could feel Chanyeol’s getting thicker inside him, shifting finding his soft point and making him moan louder.  
“-Yeol, there, please” he pleaded and Chanyeol complied immediately, hand moving to stroke his erection.  
It was too much sensations in the same moment and Baekhyun whined softly.  
“I’ll come immediately like this…” he complained but Chanyeol shook his head.  
“I’m coming too, Baekhyun” he murmured setting a quicker pace inside him and matching it with his ministrations.  
Baekhyun gripped harder on Chanyeol’s back, panting.  
He felt his release getting closer and closer but he wanted it to last as long as possible.  
He came on Chanyeol’s hand groaning and whispering his name.  
And almost in the same moment, he felt Chanyeol coming inside him, with a grunt and a mantra of little Baekhyuns and I love yous.  
They both tried to regain their breaths, Baekhyun gently stroking Chanyeol’s hair who rested his head on Baekhyun’s chest.  
There was a silence and then Chanyeol slowly exited from Baekhyun, making him flinch for over sensibility.  
Chanyeol laid near him, caressing his hair and Baekhyun smiled softly.  
“It was… amazing” Chanyeol whispered and Baekhyun nodded shortly, making a move to sit up.  
Chanyeol frowned at the gesture.  
“Same thing of before. If you roommate will come back, at least he won’t see me laying naked on your bed?” Baekhyun explained immediately and Chanyeol snorted shortly.  
“Sehun won’t be back, I told you already. And I like you naked on my bed” he replied, making Baekhyun blush and sigh shortly.  
“Still. What if he decides to come back? At least let me wash a bit and put on some clothes?” he added and Chanyeol complained but decided to follow him.  
They had a short shower and once out, Chanyeol lend Baekhyun’s one of his t-shirt so that he hadn’t to sleep with the same clothes.  
They laid together once again and Chanyeol immediately hugged him, tightly.  
Baekhyun sniffed him and snuggled his nose in Chanyeol’s neck, making him chuckle.  
“You are so cute in my t-shirt” he whispered and Baekhyun hummed something undefined as a reply.  
He felt so tired and so content that he could sleep in any moment.  
“I love you” he whispered, hugging Chanyeol too and getting impossibly closer.  
“I love you too” Chanyeol replied shortly, caressing his hair and in a minute they were both fast asleep.

  
After that time, it often happened that on a Friday night Chanyeol asked Baekhyun if he wanted to go to some other party.  
Sometimes it was fine, some other times no, but they still manage to do both things.  
Baekhyun realized that slowly his whole life started revolving around Chanyeol and what they did together.  
Which was a great thing from some points.  
From others, it was the worst.  
Baekhyun started to think that, maybe unconsciously, Chanyeol avoided certain subjects with him, especially regarding his family and his exes.  
Apparently, everyone in the school except Baekhyun knew about these things.  
Or at least, all those rich people that Chanyeol knew.  
Because if Baekhyun was to ask to Jondae or Minseok they surely wouldn’t know either.  
What at the start seemed to be only social incompatibility, revealed itself as awkward situations from which Baekhyun didn’t know how to exit.  
As per what he thought as luck.  
His original predictions weren’t so far from what was eventually destined to happen.  
He and Chanyeol couldn’t be together forever.  
And he realized it especially when, during one of the parties they went to, they were resting in the kitchen, drinking together and the same girl that he saw with Chanyeol that time that everything started, entered the room.  
She was beautiful, hair curled and styled, skirt so short one could clearly imagine the few that was covering up.  
“Yeollie, strange to see you here! How are you?” she asked nearing them and literally pretending that Baekhyun wasn’t there.  
“Hey, how you doing? It’s a long time, right?” he greeted her and Baekhyun smiled weakly.  
He stayed there for a minute, listening to them exchanging compliments and other pleasantries, before informing Chanyeol that he would be back immediately.  
He didn’t want to know anything about Chanyeol’s exes and neither if he was still interested in them.  
He wandered the house wondering where exactly the toilet was, and casually meeting Sehun, Chanyeol’s roommate.  
“Oh, Byun” he greeted him and Baekhyun nodded slightly waiving at him.  
“Are you lost? Looking for someone?” he asked him and Baekhyun shook his head.  
“Only restroom” he replied and Sehun nodded, showing him the way.  
When Baekhyun exited, Sehun was still there.  
“I didn’t think you would be here tonight” Sehun noted and Baekhyun leant on the wall near him, totally not wanting to go back to where Chanyeol was.  
“Does it disturb you?” Baekhyun asked back and on Sehun’s face there was a slightly perplexity before he could shake his head.  
“No, just I didn’t picture you like the type to go to these parties?” he commented, shrugging his shoulder.  
“I’m here with Chanyeol actually” Baekhyun pointed out and Sehun raised his head, eyes searching for his roommate’s figure.  
“I didn’t see him. Why aren’t you together?” he asked again, making Baekhyun diverge his stare and sigh shortly.  
“He’s with one of his exes. And I don’t want to interfere with whatever is or will going on” he whispered and Sehun sighed too.  
“He had plenty of those. And they were all annoying so I get what you are saying” he commented making Baekhyun snort.  
He didn’t actually care about that, but it kind of made him feel better to know that he wasn’t the only one finding them irritating.  
There was a small silence and then Sehun detached from the wall, staring at Baekhyun.  
“While he is busy with her, do you want to dance?” he asked briefly and Baekhyun’s perplexed stare was immediately on Sehun’s face.  
Then he smiled softly.  
“Sorry, I don’t find it correct toward Chanyeol” he replied shortly and Sehun shook his head.  
“Isn’t he already impolite toward you since he left you for his ex?” he asked Baekhyun that hid his discomfort with a small smile.  
“It doesn’t mean I have to do the same. Thanks for inviting me, though” he concluded walking away.  
He exited from the front door and sat on the little bench that there was in the porch.  
What Sehun said left him perplexed.  
Chanyeol had a lot of exes, was so cool and so beautiful and… why in the world he was even interested in Baekhyun?  
And all those secrets that he kept with Baekhyun.  
Why wouldn’t he share them with him?  
He sighed, finger pulling through his hair and fishing his phone from his pocket.  
There wasn’t any message.  
It meant that Chanyeol didn’t look for him and certainly he wasn’t finished with his ex.  
He waited there for ten minutes, trying to think about nothing and then he sat up, briefly clenching on his phone.  
Maybe it wasn’t worth waiting.  
Or maybe it was better for him to go inside and look for Chanyeol?  
But the same moment he walked in back, he also wanted to go away.  
The same girl from before had Chanyeol’s hand in hers and was walking with him toward the place where a lot of other people were dancing.  
Baekhyun sighed.  
He was still sober enough to prevent himself to return inside and find Sehun and accept his invitation this time.  
He simply walked away, again toward the dorms.  
His head was totally blank.  
There were reasons because he shouldn’t have befriended Chanyeol from the start.  
And reasons why even though he came to love Chanyeol oh so much, it wasn’t the same for Chanyeol himself.  
What even did he expect?  
He went straight to his room and dropped as he was on the bedroom, thanking heavens that Kyungsoo wasn’t home.  
He laid there in silence, thinking about nothing.  
Only after half an hour, he received a message.

[23:50PM] From Chanyeol  
Where are you?

Baekhyun locked his screen and let the phone drop on the bed.  
Why he was even taking it at heart?  
He should have known better.  
He ignored all the following messages and replied only when Chanyeol called him.  
“Baekhyun, I was worried. Where are you?” he asked him and Baekhyun sighed.  
“At the dorms. I was tired and you were busy” he replied, voice low almost a whisper while he was lying down.  
Hearing Chanyeol’s voice, he felt something stir inside himself and Baekhyun felt the urge of crying so much and let out all the emotions he didn’t know he was feeling in that moment.  
“You could have called me. I would have come with you” he commented but Baekhyun shook his head.  
“You were busy enough with other things” he pointed out and when Chanyeol tried to object saying something like but you were my partner tonight, Baekhyun let out a sad laugh.  
“Sure” he commented coldly, trying to restrain his feelings and the words that would come with them.  
“Are you angry?” he asked back and Baekhyun sighed.  
“No, I’m just… less delusional than before” he observed and Chanyeol asked him to explain, making Baekhyun sit up.  
“Our commitment to whatever we are having is not the same” he explained and when Chanyeol tried to make him explain again, Baekhyun sighed once more.  
“I’m tired now. Tomorrow” he concluded and it was definitive.  
“Okay, I’ll wait for you in my room, whenever you want” he ended too, making Baekhyun nod.  
He didn’t get any sleep that night and the day after, he felt like shit.  
He showered and then wrote a message to Jondae.

[09:02AM] To Dae:  
Yesterday everything went wrong. Later I’ll explain. I’ll need an entire bucket of matcha ice cream.

He wrote and sighed.  
Time to get answers and put an end to whatever was happening between him and Chanyeol.

  
He went to Chanyeol’s room and once he was there and was about to knock, from the inside he heard some voices.  
“Yeol, yesterday I ran into Byun at the party and he refused my invitation to dance. He’s really into you” Sehun’s voice said and Jongin laughed.  
“Poor boy. Doesn’t he know that you only want to get in his pants?” Jongin’s voice asked, making Sehun gasp in confusion and Baekhyun himself to almost stop breathing.  
“Really? You seemed to be pretty in synchro. Don’t you like him back?” Sehun asked Chanyeol.  
There was a small silence and then Chanyeol laughed shortly.  
“What? Obviously no. How could I be interested in someone like him?” he retorted and Baekhyun had to repeat that sentence in his head twice to be sure that he actually understood correctly.  
He walked back to his room without even passing from Jondae’s.  
He laid down again on his bed and closed his eyes.  
He couldn’t meet anymore with Chanyeol.  
For whatever reason may it be.  
But there were at least another eight months of school before graduation.  
How could he pass eight months without seeing him in hallways, classrooms, common areas and so on?  
The only idea he had, it was of accepting one of those abroad scholarship that Mr. Lee kept trying to force on him.  
The duration was of six months.  
Enough to go away and disappear from Chanyeol’s sight for a while.  
How could Baekhyun be so delusional and not see what was happening?  
It was exactly as he thought from the start.  
There was a soft knock on the door that startled him.  
“Baek, it’s me” Jondae’s voice called from the door and Baekhyun forced himself to go and open the door.  
Jondae had a worried stare and entered immediately closing the door after him.  
“What the hell did happen yesterday?” he asked and Baekhyun sighed, sitting on his bed and Jondae sat with him.  
“My feelings aren’t mutual, Dae. He is just… playing around?” he started shrugging his shoulders and when Jondae tried to interject, Baekhyun shook his head.  
“Yesterday he stayed with his ex more than he stayed with me. And today we were supposed to meet and talk about this but when I went to his room he was talking with Kim and Oh, telling them that he doesn’t like someone like me” he added and Jondae sighed, patting his shoulder.  
“You have to face him” he stated but Baekhyun shook his head.  
“I can’t. I’d rather accept one of those scholarship abroad that Mr. Lee keeps proposing me since last year” he stated having a small epiphany.  
Jondae stared at him perplexed but then smiled softly.  
“Mr. Lee keeps telling you should go to the States or Japan and study art there. Maybe this is the right occasion?” Jondae asked him and Baekhyun sighed.  
“Or Europe, yes. It will be hard…” he started but in his head some gears already started to move.  
In that moment he would do whatever he could in order to avoid Chanyeol.  
Even leaving the country for a distant place.  
His parents would be so glad about him studying abroad.  
And it would be fine also for his curriculum.  
“Harder than facing Chanyeol?” he asked him but Baekhyun shook his head.  
“I need to go away from this place at least for some months” he concluded and Jondae hugged him.

  
Baekhyun spoke the very next day with Mr. Lee who was more than glad to grant him a whole lot of scholarship for him.  
And it took only two days before a college in London accepted his request and Baekhyun returned back home to prepare his things.  
Avoiding Chanyeol was difficult, but Jondae helped him a lot all the way through it.  
He totally ignored messages and calls, avoiding usual places where he would go.  
And the Kims were the only two persons Baekhyun greeted, except for Kyungsoo, before going away.  
Somehow, he felt like he was running away but in the end it was the only thing that seemed to be possible to him in that moment.  
As he predicted, his parents were so happy that he finally accepted to go that they almost cried and supported his decision right away.  
Only his grand-mother questioned him, asking him about Chanyeol.  
“It doesn’t have anything to do with Chanyeol, granny” he commented and when she showed him all her skepticism, he sighed.  
“My feelings weren’t mutual. And I couldn’t stay there anymore. That college in London has an advanced art program and I’m sure it will help me change my view on the world” he concluded, without adding anything else.

  
He departed in less than a week from when that party happened.  
London was a blessing for Baekhyun.  
He didn’t make so many friends but learnt a lot.  
The program was awesome and he loved London to bits.  
He stayed there for almost seven months, bringing back a lot of knowledge and a certificate that gave him plenty of access to his graduation just with the exhibit of one of the numerous painting he realized when he was in London.  
And a lot of tickets to whichever career he wanted to.  
He couldn’t quite believe that he managed to survive the first weeks.  
He missed home, his annoying teachers, Kyungsoo, the Kims Duo and Chanyeol.  
Chanyeol was the one he missed so much that the first few weeks, Baekhyun thought that one could actually die of love.  
He searched for him in every little thing, in every reflection, in every routine he forced himself to change because he reminded too much of Chanyeol.  
But then he came to terms with it.  
He couldn’t erase his love for Chanyeol.  
It was still so deep inside him and beyond his comprehension that he simply accepted and embraced it, living with it every day of his life.  
He returned to the dorms at a month from graduation.  
Jondae hugged him so tightly when they saw that Baekhyun thought he couldn’t breathe anymore.  
“Dae, I can’t breathe” he whispered patting his back and Minseok smiled softly.  
“You changed a lot, Baekhyun. Almost I couldn’t recognize you. How were your days in London?” he asked and Baekhyun laughed shortly.  
“Guys we had Facetime almost every day. It’s not like we haven’t seen in months” he commented but Jondae hugged him again.  
“Sorry for keeping things short but I have to go speak with Mr. Lee for my next step” he declared and Minseok stared at him perplexed.  
“Already?” he commented and Baekhyun nodded.  
“There’s some things I’d like to do. London was a bless. I want to paint the world, Seok. Because the world is beautiful and colorful” he replied and Jondae nodded shortly.  
“And with Chanyeol?” Jondae asked shortly and Baekhyun sighed.  
Chanyeol wrote him several messages, especially in the first days and especially when he knew that Baekhyun went to London for seven months.  
He didn’t want to meet with Chanyeol.  
Because even though he knew that they needed a real closure, his feelings were too much for him to face them.  
And to face Chanyeol.  
He came to terms with the fact that Chanyeol didn’t feel the same way he did.  
Love isn’t always easy.  
Especially not when he had to do with same genre, different lineage, social status and kind of interest.  
However Baekhyun only needed his art in his life in that moment.  
He would eventually forget about Chanyeol and about his feelings too.  
And maybe one days, when this would happen, he would fall in love again.  
“Chanyeol is still very dear to me, unfortunately. But it’s not like I can force my feelings on anyone. Especially since we are completely on two different pages” he commented shortly and Minseok nodded shortly.  
“You became really mature while you were away” he replied and Baekhyun laughed shortly.  
“It’s just out of necessity” he concluded before checking his phone.  
“I have to go now. See you later” he concluded exiting the room.  
When he went to the meeting with Mr. Lee, who congratulated him for all his achievements, he spoke also about other possible routes for his future.  
After the meeting ended, he asked Mr. Lee for the keys of the art room.  
He wanted to see again that place, to paint there one last time before graduation.  
Chanyeol never wrote him again, after the first attempts, so he didn’t have any fear of meeting him there.  
Because Chanyeol hadn’t any reason to go there anymore.  
He opened the door, finding the room as he left it seven months before.  
Dust covered his tools and canvas and it seemed like years more than months.  
Baekhyun opened some windows making Spring air enter and refresh a bit.  
His fingers brushed gently on the unfinished painting on the canvas.  
Who knew what he was thinking about when he was drawing it.  
He sighed deeply, rolling up his sleeves and putting on a new canvas and preparing the colors.  
He closed his eyes and let all his sensations flew by, expressing through his brush.  
In Baekhyun’s mind there was only all the affection he felt for his memories there.  
Baekhyun opened his eyes and stared at his painting a beautiful blooming plum tree.  
It was like an explosion of color more than anything else.  
He was panting like he ran for a marathon and only in that moment he was finally able to breath properly.  
And when he was almost convinced to put away everything, he heard someone running through the corridor that led to art room.  
He turned just in time to see an out of breath Chanyeol appearing on the door.  
“Baekhyun!” he exclaimed and Baekhyun was startled.  
He didn’t expect him there at all.  
He remained silent, hands stilling on the offcut where he just cleaned his hands on.  
“It’s really you” Chanyeol continued, trying to steading his breath and Baekhyun nodded shortly.  
He didn’t want to see again Chanyeol, but since they were there, it was time to face this matter once for all.  
There was a silence and when Chanyeol seemed to have catch his breath again, he neared Baekhyun, still maintaining a certain distance.  
“How are you?” Chanyeol started again and Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders.  
“Fine. How about you?” he replied stiffly even though there was something in Chanyeol’s stare that seemed to be more tired than the last time that they saw each other.  
He wanted to caress Chanyeol’s cheeks and still wanted to slap himself to feel the same way he felt seven months ago.  
Nothing changed and Baekhyun still felt angry about it with himself.  
“I missed you” Chanyeol whispered and Baekhyun’s eyes went wider in surprise before he could shake his head.  
“You what?” he echoed, gripping harder on the offcut in his hands.  
“I missed you” he repeated once again, this time voice steadier and tone a bit higher.  
Baekhyun shook his head, huffing a laugh.  
“Sure” he commented icily and when Chanyeol moved to slightly caress his arm, Baekhyun stepped back.  
“I’m serious, Baekhyun. Why didn’t you tell me anything?” he asked him but Baekhyun shook his head again.  
He felt the loneliness of those months and the frustration of the first days.  
“Why would you even care about someone like me?” he retorted, trying harder to maintain his voice, but slightly cracking at the end of the sentence.  
“What?” Chanyeol asked back surprised and Baekhyun shook his head, stare shifting to the floor.  
“I heard you that day. You told Kim that you wouldn’t love someone like me” he spat out and Chanyeol’s eyes widened.  
“I had to!” he retorted, voice cracking too and it was Baekhyun’s turn to be perplexed.  
“Jongin’s family is friend with my parents since forever. And I couldn’t trust him full, I still can’t. I feared that he would go and tell his family about me being not only gay but also interested in someone of a different social status. And I couldn’t afford it, not in that moment. Not already having all of those problems with my father” he explained but Baekhyun shook his head.  
“How can I believe you when the exact night before you left me alone to dance with your ex?” he asked him, still shaking his head, and Chanyeol sighed.  
“She wouldn’t stop talking, Baekhyun. I agreed with her just because maybe I could see you again in the room and getting your attention so that we can go away” he continued but Baekhyun sighed.  
“I don’t even know why I still care about this” he whispered, throwing the offcut to where his canvas was.  
Why was he even listening to all of this?  
Why did he stop to the art room?  
And why should he believe in Chanyeol’s words?  
“It doesn’t change anything. We couldn’t be together at that time and we can’t be together now. I see no difference” he pointed out and he was about to walk away went Chanyeol took his hand.  
“I see plenty of differences, Baekhyun. The only things that didn’t change are my feelings for you” he whispered and Baekhyun shook his head.  
“I don’t have anymore” he lied but Chanyeol shook his head too.  
“I know it’s not like that. I met Jondae few days ago and we talk about a lot of things…” he started but Baekhyun sighed.  
Jondae was still the only one to know that Baekhyun still had feelings for Chanyeol.  
“What does even Dae know?” he commented but Chanyeol took also Baekhyun’s other hand in his.  
“He does. He told me that you always loved me. You went away to London with feelings for me and even at seven months of distance, you still have them” he whispered and Baekhyun pressed his lips in a thin line.  
He should have guarded better his own secrets.  
“What about them?” he asked and Chanyeol smiled softly, not the smirk he had the first times, but a cute, caring smile.  
“I still have them too. I’ve never loved anyone else after you. And I didn’t go out with anybody else if not you” he commented, making Baekhyun raising his eyebrow.  
“You are lying” he whispered but Chanyeol sighed.  
“You can ask whoever you want that knew both of us, Baekhyun. They will tell you the same” he started and when Baekhyun wanted to speak, he shook his head.  
“You went away all these months. How could you know? I’m not the same from before. You changed me” he added and Baekhyun sighed deeply, fingers carding through his hair.  
“Chanyeol, I…” he started shortly but Chanyeol shook again his head.  
“A second chance. I don’t want to resume from where we stopped. Let’s start anew” he proposed him and Baekhyun’s stare was immediately on Chanyeol’s face.  
How could he give Chanyeol a second chance?  
And why?  
He was still hurt from his own feelings.  
“You hid a lot of things from me. And every time I tried to get you to talk about them…” he started jerking his hands away from Chanyeol’s.  
“You never tried to explain” he continued and Chanyeol shook his head, fingers pushing his hair behind.  
“You never gave me time to do it” he retorted but Baekhyun clicked his tongue.  
“Sorry if I was shocked about hearing you telling your friends that you didn’t love me, that the only thing that you wanted from me was sex” he spat out, his own words hurting like the first time he heard them from Chanyeol’s own voice.  
“I already told you. I didn’t have any…” he started but Baekhyun shook his head again, feeling the prickle at the corner of his eyes and trying his best to push it away.  
“Choice? Me neither! What should have I done? I was so in love with you, Chanyeol! And I thought that we built something? That I could trust you! You were my only inspiration and muse for days and nights, but you erased everything with a single sentence” he retorted, voice definitely cracking along the way.  
He shifted his stare outside the window, trying to calm himself down.  
“Our feelings are not the same. You gave more importance to whatever was important to you instead of our relationship” he added, inhaling shortly and closing his eyes, shaking again his head.  
“I don’t even know why I’m telling you this. Nor why I still care about this” he concluded and even though he didn’t want to, a tear escaped from his eyes.  
He wiped it away immediately, sighing.  
Chanyeol’s stare was immediately on him.  
“Baekhyun…” he started but Baekhyun shook his head.  
“I shouldn’t have come today” he concluded starting to walk away but Chanyeol took his hand again, stare fixed on the canvas behind Baekhyun.  
“You painted this?” he asked shortly and Baekhyun frowned before nodding shortly.  
“It’s beautiful” Chanyeol added and Baekhyun sighed.  
“It is” he declared and Chanyeol’s stare was immediately on him.  
One of the many things that Baekhyun learnt in London was being more lenient with himself and his paintings.  
“Does it…?” Chanyeol started and Baekhyun stopped him.  
“Yes, but it doesn’t concern you” he concluded shortly.  
He just wanted to go away and lay down to his bed and stop thinking about it.  
“Baekhyun, please…” Chanyeol whispered, taking his hand again, fingers brushing the back of Baekhyun’s hand.  
“Why are you having problems with your father?” he asked directly to Chanyeol whose eyes went wider.  
“What about it now…?” he started asking back but Baekhyun simply repeated his question.  
Chanyeol sighed deeply before replying.  
“I never went along with my father. He wants me to succeed to our company but I don’t want to. I also took a different career respect our own branch of affairs. And he kind of hated me? Because nothing of what I did seemed to please him enough. And my family always took his side. Living at home became unbearable. But it’s something I can’t do without” he explained and Baekhyun sighed shortly.  
“Is this why you couldn’t admit that we were in a relationship? That you didn’t come out to your family?” Baekhyun asked again in a whisper.  
Chanyeol sighed deeply before nodding.  
“Yeah” he murmured and Baekhyun sighed.  
He wanted to say something more but Chanyeol stroke the back of his hand again.  
“But it’s not a problem anymore” he stated and Baekhyun’s stare was immediately on his face.  
“What do you mean?” he asked and Chanyeol forced a smile.  
“I told my father about you” he replied, making Baekhyun’s eyes widen in surprise.  
“Y-You what?” he asked stuttering and not being able to process his feelings.  
He was perplexed and there was so much confusion in his thoughts that he couldn’t bring a point to all that discourse.  
Chanyeol sighed again, tiredly, but soft smile still present on his lips.  
He closed briefly his eyes before talking.  
“When you went away and didn’t reply to my texts, I went to Jondae’s. He was quite angry with me and I couldn’t understand why. He didn’t tell me either. However, he told me that you went away because of me” he started shortly and Baekhyun sighed briefly too, but let Chanyeol speak.  
“I thought it was because of that night, and I understood that I didn’t need anyone else apart of you and that I should have done everything I could just to have you back again” he whispered, shaking his head.  
“So during summer break I went home and I spoke with my father. About my future, about my preferences, about you. He firstly didn’t get it, told me that I was just fooling around as I always did. But then when I insisted telling him that I was in love only with you even if you went away and he, I don’t know, he kind of get it? And asked me more about you? And things went… better? And you were right, Baekhyun, there was a lot of things that we don’t see because we are not our parents and we didn’t live how much they lived” he concluded and Baekhyun was even more perplexed than before.  
“Wait…” he started, voice slightly trembling and trying to process everything.  
“You are telling me that when I went away, you went to your father and told him that you were in love with a man with a lower social status than yours and he said that it was fine?” he asked him, hand carding through his hair.  
He couldn’t believe it.  
It was almost impossible.  
However, Chanyeol nodded shortly.  
“More than fine, actually. He supported me and offered me a help if I would ever need it to bring you back” he whispered, slightly gripping on Baekhyun’s hand.  
Baekhyun sighed again, hand moving to delicately caress Chanyeol’s cheek.  
Chanyeol faced his father, with whom he was in a conflict since forever, just for Baekhyun?  
Without even knowing if and when Baekhyun would be back from London.  
“You are an idiot, you know?” he asked him and Chanyeol smirked shortly.  
“Whose fault do you think it is? I’ve never felt anything like this for anybody else” he asked and Baekhyun’s stare was on his immediately.  
They stared at each other briefly before Baekhyun shook his head, tears escaping from his eyes.  
Chanyeol was astonished and his hands went immediately on Baekhyun’s cheeks, wiping away the tears from his face.  
“No, no, baby, don’t cry” Chanyeol whispered, trying to ease him, voice clearly preoccupied, and Baekhyun shook his head, wiping away the tears with the back of the sleeves of his hoodie.  
“I love you so much, Chanyeol, and missed you any single day away from here” he murmured, unable to restraint his own feelings anymore.  
He felt like all the stress and the sadness that he felt in those months suddenly left his body, feeling light but emotionally drained.  
“I love you too, Baekhyun. And missed you too” he stated, leaning his forehead with Baekhyun’s.  
Baekhyun closed his eyes inhaling Chanyeol’s scent.  
His cologne was the same he dreamt of all those months away.  
His hands moved shortly to caress Chanyeol’s cheek.  
“I can’t stay without you anymore, Baekhyun. Please, let me love you. Give me another chance” he whispered and Baekhyun nodded shortly.  
“I want to stay with you too” he replied and Chanyeol smiled softly.  
“You are still so cute, Baekhyun” he added staring at him and Baekhyun forced a smile.  
“And you are still stalking me around with your smooth words and fascinating smile” he replied shortly making Chanyeol chuckle.  
“You still let me around, though” he commented making Baekhyun huffing a laugh, shaking his head.  
“You never change” he concluded and before Chanyeol could reply, he pulled him down for a kiss, slow and gentle.  
Chanyeol gasped in surprise but kissed him back immediately, pulling him closer to him.  
“I missed you so, so, so much” he whispered between kisses and Baekhyun hummed, caressing his hair.  
Suddenly Chanyeol’s phone went off, startling both and Baekhyun slowly signed to take the call, embarrassment clearly showing on his cheeks, stare moving to the floor.  
One of Chanyeol’s hand continued to hold Baekhyun’s hand.  
Chanyeol picked up the call and even Baekhyun could clearly hear Jondae’s high voice from the other end of the line.  
“Yeol? Did you find Baek?” he asked him and Chanyeol replied affirmatively.  
“Hope everything went fine, otherwise I will have to kick your ass forever” he added making Chanyeol laugh shortly.  
“No worries, he’s here with me. I won’t let him go” he commented, stare moving to meet with Baekhyun’s who smiled softly at him, and Jondae snorted.  
“That would be better. When you did, he ran off to the other side of the world and I’m tired of having to deal with my best friend through Facetime” he retorted and Baekhyun shook his head shortly.  
“I can hear you, Dae” he exclaimed and Jondae whined.  
“I’ll go find Minseok now, catch you later” he concluded hanging up the call.  
Baekhyun stared perplexed at Chanyeol that exchanged his same stare, before they both started laughing.  
Suddenly all the sadness seemed distant and Baekhyun thought to be back again to those days when he just enjoyed Chanyeol’s company.  
But it was different this time.  
They were finally on the same page, walking toward the same direction.

  
Five Years Later  
“Do you think it’s fine, Baek?” Chanyeol asked him while they were riding an elevator, toward their shared room, literally fleeting the party after Baekhyun’s new exhibition press conference.  
A lot of things changed from college.  
Baekhyun pursued his artistical career, becoming one of the most renowned painter of his time.  
Chanyeol instead, decided to finally take over his family industry, even though during his young days always said that he would never do it.  
Baekhyun smiled at him softly.  
“When we were in college, you were the brave one. What happened to you?” he asked back and Chanyeol sighed, shaking his head.  
“It’s just that common sense kicked in…” he started saying but Baekhyun, pulled at his necktie, kissing him briefly just to shut him up.  
“Sorry if I couldn’t wait anymore. You were always busy in these weeks and we almost never saw each other” he complained and Chanyeol smiled, softly brushing Baekhyun’s hair.  
“You are right, and I’m sorry about it” he commented but Baekhyun shook his head.  
“It’s not your fault. Simply I don’t give a fuck about a party where everyone just wants to talk to me because I’m the greatest painter of the decade, risking to lose the possibility to stay with you in this beautiful suite you reserved for us” he explained, pulling at his own necktie, wanting it off as soon as possible.  
Chanyeol smiled again, caressing his back and making Baekhyun sigh in defeat.  
“As if this is not sufficient, it feels like ages since last time we…” he started but Chanyeol pressed a finger on his lips.  
“Relax. I’m more than fine with this and I want to stay with you too” he whispered, kissing Baekhyun’s temple, making him hum shortly in contentment.  
“Thank you, Chanyeol. I really need this tonight” he said briefly and Chanyeol, slowly stroked his back until their floor.  
Chanyeol showed him the way until they room.  
Baekhyun didn’t go in the room before because he had to prepare for the conference, while Chanyeol stayed there for a few hours, already knowing where it was.  
In those five years, almost nothing changed between Baekhyun and Chanyeol.  
Life and works brought them apart sometimes, but they still stuck together as long as possible.  
They still kept weird habits and antics, like not exiting from three days from home just to finish a series on Netflix or eating ice-cream in almost every month of the year.  
And even though they were both men under the spot of critique, both artistical or political, they still wear like they were at college, suites often leaving places to hoodies and sweatpants.  
Both Baekhyun and Chanyeol never hid their sexual orientation and the fact they were engaged.  
“Yeollie, how much more it will take? Are you sure we didn’t mistake the floor?” he asked him and Chanyeol smiled softly, pulling slightly his hand.  
“Come on, it’s around the corner. Don’t whine too much or you will sound like Jondae” he replied shortly and Baekhyun faked indignation, imitating perfectly Jondae in his indignation.  
Chanyeol chuckled pulling out of his pocket the magnetic key for the room.  
“We are here” he stated turning around the corner and facing an ebony door.  
It seemed to be larger that the other doors they passed in the corridors.  
“Sure?” Baekhyun asked perplexed and Chanyeol nodded, opening the door with the key, that silently buzzed, opening with a small clack.  
Chanyeol pushed the door open revealing the biggest hotel room Baekhyun ever went in.  
“What in heavens…?” he started entering and removing his shoes, looking around.  
Wide was a euphemism.  
It almost seemed an apartment more than a room.  
There was a small living room and a kitchenette.  
Baekhyun was almost going to the bathroom but Chanyeol pulled his hand toward the kitchenette where there was a bottle of wine and two glasses.  
Baekhyun frowned shortly at it.  
“There’s something you want to tell me?” he asked Chanyeol who shook his head, opening the bottle and pouring them two glasses.  
Baekhyun accepted one of them, still perplexity tinting his stare and waiting that Chanyeol explained himself.  
Chanyeol took Baekhyun’s hand and walked until the windows that showed them the profile of the city.  
It was fascinating and Baekhyun’s stare was fixed on it, eyes wide in appreciation.  
“Chanyeol, seriously… What?” he asked again, shifting his stare to meet with Chanyeol’s.  
He smiled softly at him.  
“I want you to relax and forget everything for a bit. I know that it’s not like being at home but I wanted to give you a different night from the usual ones, and what was better if not a luxury hotel that grant us a lot of comforts?” he asked raising his glass toward Baekhyun that imitated his gesture, making the glasses click together.  
“So, would you please simply enjoy what I prepared for tonight without inquiring every single thing?” he asked him and Baekhyun snorted.  
“Am I still so readable?” he asked back to Chanyeol who nodded shortly.  
Baekhyun liked surprises.  
Because he really liked to surprise people he cared about with presents or nice ideas.  
However, he didn’t like when other people tried to surprise him and he would start making a lot of questions on almost everything.  
Minseok and Jondae tried only once to organize a surprise birthday party for him, because Baekhyun was always asking too much information about it and almost discovered everything.  
He was impossible when it was about surprises.  
Baekhyun sighed, opening the first button of his shirt.  
“Okay, I won’t ask you anything tonight” he whispered but Chanyeol shook his head.  
“At the contrary. You can ask whatever you want and I’ll try to reply about everything” he replied softly and when Baekhyun stared at him perplexed, frown appearing on his face, Chanyeol laughed briefly.  
“I just want you to enjoy it, Baek. So you can ask whatever you want, but words like it’s not for me or everything concerning you underestimating yourself are banned” he tried to explain but Baekhyun’s frown grew deeper.  
He sighed again, shaking his head and emptying his glass.  
Baekhyun didn’t know at all what Chanyeol prepared for that night.  
But whatever it was, he trusted him.  
“Fine. Fine, let’s try” he concluded making Chanyeol chuckle softly and emptying his glass too.  
“I promise you won’t regret it” he observed and it was Baekhyun’s turn to chuckle.  
“When you ever made me regret something?” he asked back and Chanyeol laughed soundly, taking his hand and walking toward the bathroom.  
“When I challenged you to bungee jumping?” he objected and Baekhyun hummed, lips becoming a thin line and shaking his head at the memory.  
“Yeah, maybe that time…” he commented and Chanyeol smirked shortly.  
“Or when we went to Paris and you trusted me in ordering escargot?” he continued and Baekhyun made a disgusted face at the memory.  
“Do you want me to run away from you right now or…?” he asked to Chanyeol, making him laugh softly.  
Chanyeol took his hand again, making him stay near him instead of fleeting away.  
“You won’t regret it” he concluded, pushing the door of the bathroom and revealing a huge bathtub so wide that it could fit like ten people inside.  
And there were candles, like everywhere.  
And a sweet scent which was familiar but Baekhyun couldn’t quite pinpoint.  
“C-Chanyeol…” Baekhyun managed to whisper entering the bathroom and looking around.  
“What even…” he started but Chanyeol reached him from behind, his hands placing on Baekhyun’s shoulders and guiding him almost near the side of the bathtub.  
“You like having bath, right? And this is cotton candy scented” he started saying and Baekhyun felt the blush reaching up to his cheeks.  
“And it makes water pink” he added, starting to caress Baekhyun’s shoulders.  
Baekhyun was in awe watching the pink hues on the water and inhaling the sweet scent.  
“Chanyeol, I…” he started and Chanyeol shook his head, taking his hand.  
“Banned. Just enjoy it. Or you don’t want to bathe here with me?” he asked him sweetly, moving his hands to remove Baekhyun’s jacket.  
Baekhyun let him and then started to unbutton his shirt, staring at Chanyeol perplexed.  
“Why are you doing all of this for me?” he asked and Chanyeol smiled at him again, removing his jacket and shirt too.  
“Because I love you?” he replied and Baekhyun blushed, shifting his stare away.  
“It’s not…” he started but Chanyeol pushed a finger on his lips.  
“I’m in love with you like five years ago, Baekhyun. And I want to cherish you at the best I can” he whispered, kissing slowly Baekhyun’s neck and making him sigh in contentment.  
“Yeollie…” he murmured caressing Chanyeol’s hair and pulling him closer.  
They undressed slowly, almost without touching, but staring at each other and when they both were naked, Chanyeol’s took his hands and pulled him in the bathtub.  
“Everything is so perfect…” Baekhyun said softly, relaxing his back on the border and Chanyeol smiled at him.  
“As you are” he commented, caressing his cheeks gently, but Baekhyun shook his head.  
“I’m…” he started but Chanyeol placed a kiss on his lips, shutting him up.  
“This is banned too” he commented and Baekhyun huffed shortly.  
“You don’t even know what I was saying…” he started and Chanyeol laughed shortly, nearing him and caressing his sides under the water.  
“Sure, because you weren’t denying that you are perfect” he whispered, kissing his cheeks and making him blush again.  
“N-No…” he replied shortly, voice quavering and hands moving to caress again Chanyeol’s hair.  
Chanyeol nodded, detaching from Baekhyun and looking at him, smiling.  
“This is for later. Now come here and let me massage your shoulders” he continued and Baekhyun’s eyes widened.  
“But you hate giving me massages! Because I always whine about you being too rough or too kind with me” he objected, perplexed both in his tone and expression.  
Chanyeol always hated it because Baekhyun was ticklish and he was so picky on how much pressure Chanyeol put on his shoulders, always complaining when it hurt more than a certain degree or when it wasn’t sufficient to loosen up his muscles.  
“But I love you and sometimes I can stand you whining if I put or don’t put too much pressure on your shoulders” he replied shortly, smiling softly and helping him turning around, giving his back to Chanyeol.  
“Chanyeol, I…” he started but Chanyeol’s hands were on his shoulders immediately, gently massaging him and make him lose his words.  
“Is this fine? Or you prefer if I press harder?” Chanyeol asked him, whispering softly and Baekhyun closed his eyes relaxing and humming in content.  
“No, it’s fine like this” he replied shortly enjoying the sensation of Chanyeol’s hands on his shoulders.  
There was a small silence and then Baekhyun sighed shortly, trying to accept his luck of that moment.  
He couldn’t hope nor wish in something better than what he had with Chanyeol.  
And he couldn’t either process how much that moment was important for him.  
“You okay? You can complain how much you want if I’m not doing it well” Chanyeol whispered and Baekhyun shook his head shortly, moving his hands in the water and softly smiling at the pink color.  
Chanyeol really made his best to please him and to make him feel at ease, being it a stressful period for both.  
“You don’t have to…” he started but Chanyeol kissed his neck, making him shut immediately.  
“However, I want to” he commented, proceeding with his work on Baekhyun’s shoulders and making him hum in reply.  
“Still…” he started taking Chanyeol’s hands and almost forcing Chanyeol to hug him from behind, “I want you to relax too. I’m not the only one important here” he continued, caressing Chanyeol’s hands gently.  
Chanyeol chuckled behind him, resting his chin on top of Baekhyun’s head, embracing him better and a bit tighter.  
“I’m relaxing, Baek. Whatever makes you smile, and I mean that smile of yours, I would do it till the end of the world and back” he whispered and Baekhyun sighed again.  
“I’m so lucky in having you, Yeollie” he replied making Chanyeol squeezing him tighter in the embrace.  
There was another silence and then Baekhyun took Chanyeol’s hands in his, releasing himself from the hug, just to turn around and face him directly.  
“You know, all of this makes me want to paint oh so much” he started saying and Chanyeol smiled softly at him, nodding.  
“You brought your things, right? So if you want…” Chanyeol replied promptly but Baekhyun shook his head, placing a finger on Chanyeol’s lips.  
“First things first. And the only thing I want right now…” he begun leaning in and kissing Chanyeol softly, “is you” he concluded, lips moving on his neck and sucking briefly a hickey.  
“Baekhyun…” he whispered hands brushing his hair and pulling him closer to him, almost sitting in his laps.  
Baekhyun didn’t let that occasion slipping through his fingers and sat on his laps, erections brushing together, earning himself a groan from Chanyeol.  
“You are such a tease, Baekhyun…” he started, hands caressing his sides and back.  
“Oh? Because you don’t like it at all” he observed, teasing him, fingers playing with the hair on Chanyeol’s neck.  
Chanyeol showed him a beautiful smirk.  
“Totally disliking it” he commented again before kissing him softly on his lips, hands coming up to caress Baekhyun’s chest, feeling him hum in contentment.  
“Definitely, yes. And your body is totally agreeing with you” Baekhyun teased him again, hand moving to slightly stroke their erections together, biting his lips, repressing a moan and earning himself one from Chanyeol.  
“I think that we stayed here enough, don’t you?” Chanyeol asked him, stare darkened with want.  
Baekhyun laughed shortly, caressing Chanyeol’s cheek before sitting up and walking out of the bathtub.  
“So next step?” he asked taking a towel and ruffling his hair with it, making it all spikey.  
Chanyeol smiled softly, following him outside and Baekhyun couldn’t tear his stare away from Chanyeol.  
Even though it was more than five years since they started dating, Baekhyun loved Chanyeol’s body and every time he saw him naked, he felt like the first time.  
“Next step is going to bed and make love with you how many times you want, how you want it” he whispered, hands moving on Baekhyun’s sides making him shiver and groan lowly at the idea.  
“Yeollie, we are not young as…” he started saying, hands caressing Chanyeol’s neck but Chanyeol pushed a finger on his lips, making him shut, eyes inquiring, perplexed.  
“Don’t. Are you looking for excuses?” he asked softly, eyes meeting with Baekhyun’s that widened before he could shake his head.  
“I could never. You know that I want you as much as our first times if not more” he whispered and Chanyeol kissed his cheek, hands gently stroking his sides.  
“Are you afraid of something, then?” he asked Baekhyun, kissing his temples, still caressing him along his sides.  
Baekhyun closed his eyes sighing briefly.  
“No” he replied finally, managing to hide his hesitation.  
Even though they loved so much and Baekhyun trusted Chanyeol with more than his own life, they were… boyfriends the same ways they were five years before.  
And Baekhyun knew that with the passing of time, he would get older and why should Chanyeol have stayed with him anymore?  
Chanyeol took his hand and walked with him until the bed where he made Baekhyun sit near him.  
Chanyeol’s stare was worried and Baekhyun frowned shortly.  
“Is everything fine? Did I …?” he started but Chanyeol shook his head, moving to open the drawer of the nightstand behind him.  
“I wanted to wait tomorrow morning, but you seem to be troubled by something. And I don’t know if this will ease your thoughts, but I hope it will make you feel at least better?” he started saying, hand scratching the back of his head, nervously and Baekhyun frowned shortly before Chanyeol took out a small velvet box.  
His eyes widened in surprise and Chanyeol sighed shortly.  
“You know, everything with you is like the first time. And I can’t never get enough of you” he started saying and Baekhyun’s stare was fixed on Chanyeol’s face.  
“You are the best thing ever happened to me, Baekhyun, and I want you here until the end” he continued, voice soft almost a whisper and Baekhyun could feel tears prickling at the corners of his eyes.  
“Do you want to marry me?” Chanyeol finally asked opening the little box and revealing two golden rings.  
Baekhyun was agape and simply managed to let his tears flow, sobbing soundly.  
Chanyeol panicked for a second before he could start gently stroking Baekhyun’s back, trying to calm him.  
“Why I always manage to make you cry? I’m sorry… this isn’t what you expected right?” he started saying but Baekhyun shook his head wiping away his tears and inhaling shortly trying to regain a bit of composure.  
“Not being what I expected?” he started voice trembling and watery stare meeting with Chanyeol’s.  
“You exceeded everything I could think about, Chanyeol” he whispered taking Chanyeol’s hands in his.  
“Since the start you were way too much for me…” he started and when Chanyeol tried to interject, Baekhyun shook his head.  
“You were my muse from the very start, Chanyeol, and I’ve always felt like I didn’t give enough to you. Because what could I give to someone perfect as you are? And even after college, I remained of the same idea. I fear so much to lose you because I’m not enough for you” he continued shortly, trying again to steady his breath.  
“I thought that for how much you loved me, eventually one day you will get enough of me and my constant messy life and smell and…” he said and Chanyeol couldn’t stay there and listened anymore.  
“Baekhyun, please. Don’t. Don’t say anymore things like this. Because you are all that I could want from my life and hearing you say something like this, physically hurts me” he interrupted him, hands gripping on Baekhyun’s.  
“If you don’t want to marry me, it’s fine, but don’t say these things” he continued and Baekhyun’s eyes widened and he was shaking his head even before he could realize it.  
“No, no, Chanyeol, it’s exactly the contrary. I do want to marry you, because I love you more than my own life and I would do anything to make you happy” he said immediately, hand moving to caress Chanyeol’s cheek, who showed him a perplexed stare.  
“If this worthless me it’s enough to make you happy…” he was saying but Chanyeol hugged him making them both land in the center of the bed, Baekhyun laying on his back under Chanyeol who snuggled his nose in his neck, sniffing him.  
“You are an idiot, Baekhyun. You are the only one that can make me this happy” he murmured, shortly detaching to stare into Baekhyun’s eyes.  
“Then yes, please marry me” Baekhyun whispered, soft smile opening on his face.  
Chanyeol shifted to take again the box, pulling out both rings and giving the bigger one to Baekhyun.  
“May I…?” he started but Baekhyun took it together with Chanyeol’s hand and put it on Chanyeol’s finger.  
Chanyeol took Baekhyun’s hand and did the same with the smaller one.  
“Do you…?” Chanyeol started but Baekhyun tackled him, hovering on him.  
“I love it. And I love you” he whispered, leaning in and kissing Chanyeol slowly on his lips.  
He felt a joy inside that he never felt before.  
The weight of the ring present on his finger, made it feel even more important.  
The kiss became passionate when Chanyeol’s hands caressed Baekhyun’s sided, reminding them that they were still naked and aroused.  
Baekhyun hummed in the kiss, slightly biting Chanyeol’s bottom lip, earning himself a low groan.  
“Baekhyun, I want you so much…” Chanyeol whispered making Baekhyun smile softly.  
“I want you too. And how was it?” he asked trying to remember the words that Chanyeol pronounced before they sat on the bed.  
“How many times I want, how I want?” he asked again, sitting up on Chanyeol’s laps and pushing back his own hair, glancing toward Chanyeol that nodded shortly, hands moving to caress Baekhyun’s sided and abs, making him shiver.  
“Whatever you want, Baek. I’m yours, always have and always will be” he replied, making Baekhyun smile softly.  
“So, it’s fine if I want to please you too?” he asked briefly, voice lower, deeper, leaning in and whispering in Chanyeol’s ear.  
“W-What do you mean?” Chanyeol managed to breath in reply and Baekhyun bit his ear softly, making him gasp in surprise.  
He started licking it, moving then behind it and descending along the neck.  
“I know how you prefer to take me…” he whispered, biting a little bit harder on his neck and sucking a hickey, earning a low moan from Chanyeol.  
“Oh yes?” he whispered back, hand carding through Baekhyun’s hair and moving to give him more space to move on his neck.  
“Yes. Do you think I’ve never noticed how your eyes sparkle when I ask you if you are fine with me taking the lead?” he asked briefly, moving down to his collarbones and feeling Chanyeol’s breath itching.  
“Or am I mistaking?” he continued, pushing a bit his hips and brushing his erection with Chanyeol’s that groaned again deeply.  
“I…” he started but his voice stuck on his throat, so he tried again after clearing it shortly.  
“You are more than right. I love it when you ride me…” he whispered softly and Baekhyun pulled out a sly smirk, straightening up and watching Chanyeol under him.  
“Sure you love it. And I know another thing that you love so much even if you always offer yourself to do in my stake” he commented, bringing his fingers on his lips and inserting them in his mouth, licking them thoughtfully.  
Chanyeol’s stare was fixed on him, darkened with lust, eyes following Baekhyun’s fingers movement inside his mouth, caressed by his tongue.  
Chanyeol’s hands moved again on Baekhyun’s sides, brushing gently along them and making Baekhyun’s skin erupt in goosebumps.  
“When you finger yourself open for me?” Chanyeol supplied shortly making Baekhyun tilt his head on the side, pulling out his fingers from his mouth.  
“What do you say? May I tonight?” he asked, voice no more than a low purr hand already moving to his entrance.  
Chanyeol followed with his stare his movements nodding shortly, enthralled by Baekhyun.  
In those years, they both came to know what they preferred and what they liked more than other things.  
Baekhyun was spoiled enough for that night.  
It was Chanyeol’s turn now.  
And Baekhyun knew what Chanyeol liked.  
He closed his eyes shortly, circling his own entrance and swiftly inserting one finger, frowning at the insertion.  
It was a while but nothing he wasn’t prepared for.  
“Yeollie” he whispered, eyes fluttering open and staring at Chanyeol, biting his lips when he moved the finger inside himself.  
Chanyeol’s hands continued to caress Baekhyun’s sides, stare fixed on Baekhyun’s face, hummed in response, unable to process a clear answer.  
Baekhyun added another finger, moving them inside and stretching himself more.  
“I always do it when you aren’t around or when we are distant for a while” he whispered, shortly biting his bottom lip to muffle a moan and Chanyeol nodded shortly.  
“Yeah, I know… you told me sometimes ago?” he managed to breath in reply and Baekhyun opened up in another brief smirk before adding another finger inside himself, lowly groaning at the insertion and waiting a second before moving again his fingers.  
“And did I also tell you that I did it in college too? Thinking about you and how you felt inside me…?” he asked again, setting a pace at his ministration, breath coming shortly.  
Chanyeol’s astonished stare was enough to reply to Baekhyun.  
“Didn’t I? Especially after the first night we had sex. I couldn’t stop thinking about how much you filled me up…” he continued, teasing Chanyeol and setting a faster pace inside himself, feeling the warm feeling pooling in his stomach.  
Chanyeol sat up, lips immediately moving to Baekhyun’s nipple, licking and teasing it, earning himself a gasp and a high moan.  
“Yeollie” he almost whined, arching his back, fingers moving deeper and faster inside him.  
“You are the definition of perfection, Baekhyun” Chanyeol whispered, biting his nipple and pinching the other between his fingers.  
Baekhyun groaned lowly biting his lips.  
“And you want to know something too…?” Chanyeol asked him, placing kisses all around Baekhyun’s nipple but without touching it.  
Baekhyun nodded shortly, panting shortly, steadying his pace inside himself.  
“After the first time I saw you finger yourself, I can’t think about anything else while I masturbate” he whispered making Baekhyun’s eyes widened in surprise.  
“You like it so much?” Baekhyun murmured, trying to hide another moan and Chanyeol nodded, hand reaching for Baekhyun’s erection.  
“I love it” he concluded, stroking him a single time and making him almost meowl.  
“Chanyeol…” he called using his other hand to push Chanyeol once again on the bed.  
“Condom?” he asked shortly, hissing at the friction of his fingers when he removed them and Chanyeol nodded, gesturing toward the nightstand.  
Baekhyun took one and quickly rolled it on Chanyeol’s erection.  
“May I?” Baekhyun asked him and Chanyeol nodded shortly.  
Even before Chanyeol could nod, Baekhyun was already ready and after taking Chanyeol’s member in his hands, positioning correctly, he bottomed out without any hesitation.  
He felt hundreds of different sensations all together, arching his back, hands steadying himself on Chanyeol.  
“Finally full” he whispered, smiling toward Chanyeol that was panting and moaning harder than Baekhyun himself.  
“You could have warned me… I’m too old for this” Chanyeol stated but Baekhyun shook his head.  
“You are not and we both know it. It was just unexpected” he groaned back, adjusting to Chanyeol’s thickness, feeling precum already dripping from his erection.  
“Pleasantly unexpected” Chanyeol objected making Baekhyun snort.  
“Almost like the first time we touched each other?” he commented, leaning in to kiss briefly Chanyeol on his lips.  
Chanyeol’s hands went to Baekhyun’s side, caressing him kindly.  
“I’d dare to say better” he objected making Baekhyun laugh.  
“Definitely better. Heavens, you are so thick” he added, starting to move slowly on Chanyeol’s who repressed another moan.  
Chanyeol smiled shortly, moving and matching Baekhyun’s movement on him, making him groan, biting again his lips.  
“Don’t bite your lips so much, Baek. Let me hear your voice” he whispered and Baekhyun hummed shortly, setting a quicker pace on Chanyeol who sat up again, easing Baekhyun’s movements on him and supporting him better.  
Baekhyun slightly shifted too, finding his own soft spot and moaning lowly, gripping on Chanyeol’s shoulder.  
“Chanyeol…” he moaned, arching his back and Chanyeol moved his hand stroking his erection, making him whimper and ask for more.  
“Please…” he whispered groaning, totally out of breath, caressing Chanyeol’s hair and kissing him sloppily.  
Chanyeol kissed him back, shortly, panting and moaning Baekhyun’s name, growing thicker inside him.  
Baekhyun felt his release coming closer and closer, building up at the pit of his stomach, and taking him over completely, flashes blinking in his eyes.  
He came on Chanyeol’s hand, small pleas becoming a pray made of Chanyeol’s name, and feeling Chanyeol coming inside him, calling his name.  
They breathed in each other space for few minutes, sweat sticking hair to their foreheads.  
“I love you” Baekhyun whispered, caressing Chanyeol’s cheek.  
Chanyeol closed his eyes, leaning in at the contact.  
“I love you too” he murmured, taking Baekhyun’s hand and placing a kiss exactly where the ring was.  
Baekhyun hummed in contentment and shortly after removing himself from Chanyeol and hissing at the contact.  
He laid down near Chanyeol who caressed his shoulders and sides delicately.  
“You are beautiful” he stated making Baekhyun blush a bit.  
“You are too, Chanyeol. The most beautiful of all the muses I could ever think about in the sea of the arts” he replied, hands moving to caress his profile.  
Chanyeol hummed shortly.  
“And I’m yours” he added softly meeting Baekhyun’s stare.  
“Only mine” he commented making Chanyeol’s smile.  
“Until you want it” Chanyeol stated and Baekhyun huffed a laugh.  
“Forever sounds good to you?” he asked him, stare moving again on the rings on their fingers.  
“Perfect, I would say” he replied smiling at him and pushing him down to kiss him slowly, caressing his hair and earning himself a sound of appreciation.  
They kissed for few minutes before Chanyeol detached briefly from him.  
“So…” he started smirking and Baekhyun smiled back at him already knowing what he wanted to ask.  
“You just complained about being too old and now you want a second round?” he asked him, smile still fixed on his lips, fingers carding in Chanyeol’s hair.  
Chanyeol laughed soundly.  
“Sure. If you give me five minutes, I’m ready to start again” he replied and Baekhyun laughed shortly too.  
“Just five minutes?” he asked and Chanyeol nodded shortly.  
Baekhyun nodded shortly too.  
“Sounds good to me” he concluded, pulling him down again to kiss him softly.

  
It took them a few intercourses more to finally decide that they were, indeed, too old to continue even more.  
They fell asleep together without even realizing, hugging each other, Baekhyun’s snuggling in Chanyeol’s embrace.  
When morning came, Baekhyun woke up firstly.  
He went to the bathroom, took a short shower, and then sat on the floor, drawing Chanyeol’s asleep figure.  
It brought back a lot of memories from college, when he had to hid it from Chanyeol himself.  
Chanyeol changed completely the definition of art for Baekhyun, revolutionizing his own world and pushing him to his own limits in order to find what art meant for him.  
And Baekhyun could never express how grateful he was to Chanyeol.  
And how much he loved him.  
He stared again at the ring on his finger, still unable to fully process what happened the night before.  
He smiled softly, restarting to sketch his future husband on his notebook.  
“Baek?” Chanyeol’s sleepy voice called him and he raised his head, humming shortly.  
“Come here. What is the time? Isn’t it too early?” he whispered and Baekhyun smiled before closing his notebook with a small thud.  
“It’s almost eight, actually” he replied sitting up, moving to the bed and laying near Chanyeol, caressing his hair.  
“Eight? Too early for everything” he complained, groaning in the pillow making Baekhyun chuckle.  
When Baekhyun didn’t add anything but simply kept staring at him, caressing his hair, Chanyeol opened his eyes interested.  
“What were you doing?” he asked him and Baekhyun smiled softly.  
“Drawing you” he replied honestly and Chanyeol’s eyes widened.  
“Me?” he asked again and Baekhyun nodded.  
“I have lot of notebooks full of sketches of you. I love drawing you, especially when you are sleeping” he continued and Chanyeol frowned shortly.  
“I knew you had sketchbooks and that few drawings included me, but why I don’t know about this habits of yours?” he inquired shortly and Baekhyun sighed deeply, shaking his head.  
“Because it could sound quite creepy?” he asked back but Chanyeol shook his head immediately.  
“I find it romantic. And cute, like you” he replied, honestly sipping through his words, making Baekhyun blush softly.  
He inhaled deeply before adding: “I did it in college too”.  
Chanyeol was a bit perplexed but then shook his head again, smirking.  
“You were totally in love with me?” he asked, making Baekhyun’s blush reddening.  
“I still am” he managed to reply, shifting his stare away but Chanyeol took his hand, pulling him in for a hug.  
“You are still so cute” he whispered and Baekhyun huffed shortly.  
“And you stuck around until now. And not only, you asked me to marry you, stalking me until death does us apart” he commented making Chanyeol laugh soundly, voice still deep from the sleep.  
“So… nothing actually changed from college?” he asked and Baekhyun snorted.  
“We only grew older” he replied and Chanyeol hugged him even tighter.  
“Come on. It’s not only that. We went through a lot of shit, I risked to lose you, got you back, went through our own job careers, survived to the meeting with my parents” he started listing and Baekhyun stopped him immediately.  
“Yeah, sure. No need to remember me about it” he commented, shivering at how nervous he was for all the meeting they had few years ago.  
There was a small silence and then Chanyeol’s phone went off ringing.  
He patted on the nightstand taking it and replying without even checking the caller ID.  
He hummed on the phone, listening to what his interlocutor was saying.  
“Not now. Maybe later? Now I have other things to do?” he started and when the voice replied again, Chanyeol nodded shortly.  
“Yeah, very important matters. Sorry. Call you back later” he concluded hanging up his phone and throwing it again on the nightstand.  
“Was it from work?” Baekhyun asked perplexed and Chanyeol shook his head.  
“I don’t think?” he commented making Baekhyun frown.  
“Chanyeol, what if it was important?” he asked him but Chanyeol caressed his hair, pulling him down for a kiss.  
“Whatever it may be, can wait few hours. Later. Now I want to stay with you longer” he explained and Baekhyun sighed, hugging him.  
“Later, uh? It reminds me things” he commented and Chanyeol snorted.  
“Maybe you are right and actually not so much changed from college” he added laughing shortly.  
Baekhyun laughed too.  
“I love you, Chanyeol” he whispered, snuggling his nose in Chanyeol’s neck, hugging him tightly.  
“I love you too, Baekhyun. Thank you for letting me in at that time” Chanyeol commented making Baekhyun shook his head.  
“Thanks for sticking around” he concluded and he really was glad, because he couldn’t ever have dreamt of a better future that the one he was living in.


End file.
